1 Timothy 2:1-2 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

The last part of this passage reminds me of the ancient Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.” We certainly live in interesting times today! As I write, Japan has had a major earthquake and a spectacular aircraft collision at the busiest airport in the country, and that’s all within the past four days. And of course that doesn’t begin to touch on the major turmoil that’s going on all around the world. All of these things seem totally out of our control, but that’s what the first part of the passage is about. How many people genuinely pray for “kings and all those in authority?” I’m registered with Intercessors for America, and each of their frequent newsletters has three political figures listed at the bottom, with a place to click if you are praying for that person and a number to indicate how many people have clicked. I don’t know how many people receive those newsletters, but the number of those praying is seldom very large. And that’s just America! I remember how touched a Romanian evangelist was quite a few years ago when I told him I regularly prayed for Gorbachev, who was not long after that very instrumental in the dissolution of the Iron Curtain. How many people today pray for Putin? I don’t think we realize that our prayers make a difference. We need to think of the context at the time Paul wrote this. The “kings and those in authority” were for the most part far from godly men, yet Paul said to “offer requests, prayers, intercession, and thanks” for them. When we see such lying scoundrels in power, it’s hard to respond that way! However, we need to remember a verse from Proverbs: “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” (Proverbs 21:1) The Bible records God using a lot of people who didn’t believe in Him to accomplish His purposes, starting with Cyrus the Persian who sent the Jews back to Judea. People can be very stubborn, but they are no match for God, and we can pray to God! I think we all take the privilege and responsibility of prayer too lightly.

And of course I’m preaching to myself here. I do pray for various world leaders from time to time, and particularly American leaders, but I seldom if ever pray for Prime Minister Kishida, and I don’t even know who represents Nagasaki in the Diet! (I can’t vote in Japan, but he does have an influence on my environment.) I do pray for our mayor, but then I know him personally, having conducted his wedding. We have recently acquired a prayer warrior in this church, and she is an inspiration to me. At 75 I realize that I am just scratching the surface of prayer, even though prayer is extremely natural to me. As I have commented recently, I have no idea why prayer works, because why would the Creator listen to me? However, I have experienced countless times of seeing prayer work, and I am to respond in gratitude and obedience. As James said, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective,” (James 5:16) and “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) I have no excuse not to pray!

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Help me not slough it off but allow it to change my daily habits, growing me more and more into the child that You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!