Pray for our leaders

1First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

The opening of 1 Timothy 2 has Paul urging us to prayer for all peoples, in particular those in the highest leadership positions over us. The prayers we are asked to offer up vary as well: supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings.

I have to admit...supplications and intercessions seem quite similar to me, so I looked them up, since Paul wouldn't use them without intent. :) Intercession means a prayer to God on behalf of another person. Supplication means a prayer asking God's help as part of a religious service, it also has the tone of humility to it, like when you ask for help from someone in authority. So they are different and so praying for our leaders takes on a different aspect depending on how we are praying for them. But pray for them we must.

Why are we asked to do this? In order that we might lead peaceful and quiet lives, lives that are godly and dignified in every way.

Living our lives like this pleases God. This is our ultimate objective .... to please God.

And who is God? God is the one who desires that all people be saved and come to know the truth. There is only one God. There is only one mediator between God and people...and that is Christ Jesus himself. Jesus who gave himself as the ransom for all. This is the testimony that can be given at the proper time. This is why Paul was appointed as a preacher and as an apostle, and as a teacher for the gentiles.

This all just kinda struck home today. A pastor friend of mine is undergoing an attack from an anonymous person in his congregation. This individual is fighting dirty. I find myself so wanting to protect this pastor friend of mine. And these words tell me the best way to do that. I can pray for him. Offering up supplication, thanksgiving, intercession and just generalized prayer for him. God can and will intervene on his behalf. All I must do is pray for him and that church, that they will be able to lead lives that please God, despite what happens around them.

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