“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
I wrote of this yesterday, more or less focusing on the “so that” — we’re to pray in this way, for others welfare, so that we may live peaceful lives. “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,” Paul continues, and then we have a revelation: God “desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (verse 4). That is, we are to pray all kinds of prayers, not just for our leaders, but for all men, with God’s heart in mind: He wants them saved.
John Chrysostom comments, “Since He wishes that all should be saved, do you also wish it? And if you wish it, pray for it? For prayer is the instrument of effecting such things.”
Honestly, I don’t—meaning, I rarely do. I say this to my shame. If it is God’s will that all are saved, then it ought be mine too. If God went to all the trouble of sending His own Son out of a deep, deep love for men, shouldn’t I then at least go to some trouble? What does it take to lift up a few prayers for others?
It’s not that I haven’t. For years I designated each day of seven for a certain people group. There was immediate family, extended family, neighbors, employees, customers, the brothers, and then my Life Group. All these I would put before the Lord, and for a time I would pray a specific prayer, helped by an acronym (which now I cannot remember). I have held to this to some degree, but offering prayers is one thing; there being the heart of God behind the prayers is another. I admit, this is lacking.
I think God looked down from heaven and couldn’t stand it anymore. Paul writes of Christ coming and dying “at just the right time.” I think maybe His heart was ready to burst if something didn’t happen; so He sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those under the Law.” It was when “the fullness of the time came.” That is, He just could not wait any longer.
I have met people who have a passion for evangelism—I’ve had a passion for evangelism. My goodness! How often have I written of it, longed to do it, prayed to be used of God for it! Yet evangelism, of itself, is not God’s heart; people saved are. Evangelism is the means to that end. God’s love for people is the fuel of it.
When Paul exhorts we pray for all men, it’s because of the love God has for people. Peaceful, tranquil lives can be the fruit of it—Rome was a much better place to live under Constantine than Nero. But the purpose of the prayer, the ultimate goal is that folks are saved.
Make no mistake—not all will be saved, but they’ve not a chance if there are no prayers. And there are no prayers without a heartfelt love for people. Love for people, unbelievers and believers alike, is the core of effective prayer. The good news was (is), “God so loved the world” — this was the message of the Christ, these were Jesus’s words. Those born of God ought feel the same way.
I believe love must be cultivated. It is sown in our hearts, yes; but it must be recognized and acted upon. Prayer is the getting on place. We pray for people because we love them, and if we’re not feeling that then we pray for them because we want to love them.
The ultimate need of men is salvation.
Trueblood’s words come to mind:
“No one whose life has been truly touched by the life of Christ is free to leave the matter there; he must, as a consequence, extend the boon. No one to whom the love of Christ has been mediated so that he is in some sense a new person, is free to let this stop so long as he lives. If he has been, in any sense, liberated, he must join in the eternal fellowship of liberation. If the enkindling fire which Christ said He came to light has in any sense entered his soul, he cannot rest until he lights a many other fires as possible.”
So then, “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority.” Why? Because God “desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.” Such is the reason for the exhortation, and such is the heart and soul of prayer.