Prayer with Passion and Purpose

Jesus made it clear to his disciples. He taught them what to pray, how to pray, and how not to pray (See Matthew 6:5-15.). He even showed them how agonizing prayer can be (See Luke 22:39-46.).

Paul the Apostle was convinced that the faithful should pray continuously – that the lines of communication with God should never be “broken”. As a hymn writer inspired by Paul wrote, “Pray without ceasing, pray.” (Charles Wesley, "Soldiers of Christ, Arise", written in response to Ephesians 6:13-18).

Paul’s first letter to Timothy proposed a prayer “standard” which is remarkable for its time – a time of persecution, occupation, and oppression – and worthy of application in our own time:

My advice is that, first of all, there should be prayers offered for
everyone – petitions, intercessions, and thanksgivings – and
especially for kings and others in authority, so that we may be able
to live religious and reverent lives in peace and quiet. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Throughout American Methodist history, our prayerbooks have included a Prayer for the President of the United States of America and for others in authority. Praying for our leaders, whether we like them or not, is easy enough.

But how do you pray for an oppressor? For instance, how would Paul, a former rabbi feel about praying for Adolf Hitler if Paul was alive in 1943? Could Paul have given thanks or petitioned God on Hitler’s behalf?

Perhaps his yearning for “peace and quiet” would shape his prayer? “Guide that cruel despot, O God, so that he and his minions will leave us alone.”

But the Spirit of God seems to have moved Paul beyond a mere self-serving concern:

To do this is right and will please God our saviour: He wants everyone
to be saved and reach full knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4)

Paul is not a spiritual pacifist or “passivist”. Paul is convinced that he, Timothy, and you and I should pray for everyone because everyone is the object and the subject of God’s redeeming love – whether they know it and live it or not. When we earnestly pray to God for our neighbor – known or unknown – we dare to join Jesus, Paul, and a “cloud of witnesses” in seeking and sharing the saving grace of God. God “wants everyone to be saved and reach full knowledge of the truth”.

Pray today! Pray for those you love and for those who make it hard for you to love them. Pray that your witness to Christ might be faithful and strong. Plead with God! Thank God! Talk to God today and everyday and all day! Pray!