Abundant Joy

“First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”

We began chapter 2 with the words “First of all…” If we look back to verse 18 in chapter 1, Paul is telling Timothy that he is giving him instructions. These are those instructions. The next chapters are instructions on how the church at Ephesus is to conduct itself. Because the church is not a building, but a people, Christ’s bride, it is not limited to a time or place. We are still the church today and Paul’s instructions to the church are still valid today.

When Paul uses the words “first of all,” he is not indicating the time, he is indicating importance. The most important thing that the church needs to do is to pray, and to pray for everyone. We are to do this so that we can live at peace, and we can spread the gospel message (as we will read in verses 3 and 4). Paul uses several words for prayer. Let’s take a look at them.

The first word Paul uses is petitions. This is used to express the idea of asking God for specific needs. Prayers is a more general term covering many types. Intercession is prayer that is made on behalf of others. And thanksgiving is just what it sounds like! Several times in his letters Paul exhorts us to make our requests with thanksgiving.

 ^“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2)

I want to take a minute to write about gratitude and prayer. I know that I am guilty of bringing my requests to God, but I forget the thankfulness part. I have so much to be thankful for. Paul sets the example for us. Even when he was going through hardships, in prison, under house arrest, and travelling through difficult circumstances, this is what he wrote:

^“I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” (Ephesians 1:16)

^“I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you…” (Philippians 1:3)

“And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17)

For whom are we to pray? Everyone. We live in a divided country right now. People hide behind false names on the Internet and say horrible things to each other. Families are divided. But here, Paul is telling us we are to pray for everyone. This is not new to Paul. He is repeating what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:43-45a).

Paul goes on to say something that was probably as difficult to swallow as it is for some people today. He says we are to pray for kings and all those in authority. This is a difficult thing for many people to hear, no matter what side of the party lines they fall on. If they were against the last president, they thought God could not possibly want us to pray for him! If they are against our current president, even more so! We forget that God is sovereign and no matter who is in office, in every country, they are there because God has allowed it. Paul writes this to the church in Rome. “Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves” (Romans 13:1-2).

Paul was writing this when Nero was in control. According to gotquestions.org’s article on Nero, Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon while he was under house arrest during Nero’s reign. Nero was the “Caesar” that Paul appealed to during his trial in Caesarea. While Nero started out as a normal king, he ended it as a tyrant. He murdered anyone who got in his way, including his wife and mother. His tyranny was escalating when Paul was writing this letter to Timothy. We must not use the excuse that Paul did not know what he was asking of us.

The main reason that we are to pray for our leaders is so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. Remember in the Old Testament when the Jewish people were exiled to Babylon? They were not going to be allowed to return to Jerusalem for 70 years. Jeremiah sent a letter to them on behalf of God. “Pursue the well-being of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive” (Jeremiah 29:7). In the same way today, we are to pray for kings and those in authority so that we may thrive. Next time, we’ll continue with why God wants us to lead quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. Spoiler alert-it has to do with the Great Commission!

Grace be with you!