“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,” (1 Timothy 2:1 (ESV)
Beginning in chapter two, the Apostle Paul began a series of instructions to his protégé Timothy. It was an example of a mentor providing practical and wise counsel to his student (Prov. 27:17). This wisdom was also pertinent because of the false teaching existing in the Ephesian Church on Timothy’s watch (1:3-7). It was the present reality Paul previously warned the Ephesian church elders could happen with heresy arising from within the believing community (Acts 20:17-35).
In light of this present situation, Paul actively urged (Παρακαλῶ; parakalo) and earnestly appealed to Timothy about the importance of prayer. While this discipline is essential for all believers in Christ (Matt. 6:9-13), it is especially so for pastors.
What is prayer? Reformed Christians have a ready answer to this question, “What is prayer?” The Westminster Larger Catechism 178 asks that very question, stating in response, “Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, in the name of Christ, by the help of his Spirit; with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.”
B.M. Palmer says in Theology of Prayer that prayer is “the language of creaturely dependence.”
Martin Luther wrote, “Therefore from youth on we should form the habit of praying daily for our needs, whenever we are aware of anything that affects us or other people around us, such as preachers, magistrates, neighbors, and servants; and, as I have said, we should always remind God of his commandment and promise.…This I say because I would like to see people learn to pray properly and not act so crudely and coldly that they daily become more inept in praying. This is just what the devil wants.”
John Calvin explained the importance of prayer with four basic rules. First, prayer evokes a heartfelt sense of reverence. Two, prayer must contain a heartfelt sense of need and repentance. Third, prayer must be from a heartfelt sense of humility and trust in God. Finally, prayer should result in a heartfelt sense of confident hope.
Jonathan Edwards stated, “It is God’s will through His wonderful grace, that the prayers of His saints should be one of the great principal means of carrying on the designs of Christ’s kingdom in the world. When God has something very great to accomplish for His church, it is His will that there should precede it the extraordinary prayers of His people; as is manifest by Ezekiel 36:37. and it is revealed that, when God is about to accomplish great things for His church, He will begin by remarkably pouring out the spirit of grace and supplication (see Zechariah 12:10).”
“The Scriptures picture true prayer as an offering rising up and seeking heaven’s attention, like incense offered before the Lord in the temple (Rev. 8:5). Prayer is casting anxieties on God (1 Peter 5:7), crying to God in trouble (Ps. 34:17), and making needs known to Him in every circumstance (Phil. 4:6–7). Prayer is desire offered to God,” explains Dr. Barry J. York, pastor of River Valley Reformed Church in Monaca, Pa.
Paul used four words in describing this active discipline known as prayer. They were supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings. This list parallels Paul’s encouragement to the Philippians (Phil. 4:6-7). What do each of these words mean?
Supplications (δεήσεις; deeseis) refers to pleas and requests to God. It contains an urgency based upon a particular need.
Prayers (προσευχάς; proseuchas) means to speak to God. It is the basic definition of the meaning of prayer.
Intercessions (ἐντεύξεις; enteuxeis) is speaking to God on behalf of someone else. In this posture of prayer, the emphasis is on someone else’s needs and not our own.
Thanksgivings (εὐχαριστίας; eucharistias) refers to an expression of gratitude for blessings and benefits from God. They are words of gratefulness (Acts 24:3; 1 Cor. 14:16; 2 Cor. 4:15; 9:11; Eph. 5:4; Php. 4:6; Col. 2:7; 4:2; 1Thess. 3:9; 1Tim. 2:1; 4:3; Rev 7:12).
These four characteristics of prayer are to be offered to God on behalf of all types of people. This includes people you don’t know as well as those you do know. This refers to the well-known and unknown along with the popular and unpopular. This is because God is no respecter of personas, and neither should we.
“Prayer is coming to the Father by faith in the merits of Christ. An American citizen cannot hold office in the United Kingdom or assume he deserves special privileges from the queen. Likewise, no sinner can stand on his own merits before the King of heaven. Yet by faith in Christ’s work, we become citizens of the kingdom of heaven through His righteousness. Thus, we gain “confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus” (Heb. 10:19). This righteous standing before God is what it means to pray “in the name of Christ,” as the catechism states. Consequently, every time we pray, we should remember our standing by confessing our sins and thanking God for how He mercifully receives us through Jesus,” states Pastor York.
Prayer is an active acknowledgment God does not give us what we deserve, which is judgment, but rather gives what we do not deserve, mercy and grace. As Calvin wisely said, let us go to the Lord in prayer with reverence, repentance, humility, trust and confident hope.
May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a prayerful day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
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