I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for ALL men;
For kings, and for all that are in authority;
that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life
in all godliness and honesty.
1 Timothy 2:1-7
It is the National Day weekend! For some it may be the time of the year to let the national flag catch the breeze at the window sills; to indulge the kids as they sing and dance to "Reach Out for the Skies" over and over and over again; the time to catch the parade live at the padang or on television in the comfort of the family sofa…or for some others, it may just simply be yet another public holiday that they can sleep in. What we make of National Day can be a reflection of how big our nation is in our hearts.
Prayer for ALL (vv. 1-2)
Perhaps this National Day, as we think about the blessings of peace, progress and prosperity we enjoy in this country, we can look at Paul’s urgings in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 to pray and offer petitions and thanksgivings "for kings and for all that are in authority". This is based on Paul’s conviction that as believers, we are to pray for ALL men – not just loved ones and friends, but also those who rule over us and even over others in other nations. John Stott once said that the contents of our prayers reflect our perception of God. To the Christian whose prayers consist of little else besides personal, day-to-day requests, God will remain to him, locally confined in his own small world. To the Christian whose prayers reach beyond the commonplace to enter the threshold of the world at large, God will be worshipped for His universal fatherhood and lordship. What we pray for is a reflection of how big our God is in our hearts.
Desire for ALL (vv. 3-4)
Paul explains to us in the next two verses that prayer for ALL men is good and acceptable in the God’s sight as it reflects His desire that ALL men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Christianity ought not to be exclusive, but inclusive. Just as our Lord Jesus "is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9), we too, should likewise reflect our Master in this aspect and take personal responsibility for the salvation for all who have yet to come to His saving knowledge. Last week when we had the privilege of having Rev. Goh speak to us on the Heartbeat of Jesus and view slides on Myanmar, it is clear that there is much to be done in the harvest field and opportunities abound in this age of globalization. The question then is not where or how…but are we willing? A prayer, a gift, a mission trip. When we acknowledge the universal scope of the Christian mission, we will recognize the absolute priority of world missions.
Ransom for ALL (vv. 5-6)
Finally, God desires ALL men to be saved because He gave Himself as "a ransom for ALL". Jesus’ death on the cross concerns everyone because He died for all. Paul committed his life to proclaiming this testimony of Christ Jesus as the one mediator between God and man – not just to his people, the Jews, but also to the gentiles in his various missionary journeys. Christ’s sacrifice for all has to be made known to all. To this end, let us also be committed to be a local community with a global vision for the worship of Jesus Christ in every nation, tribe and language.
As we celebrate another National Day, let us also celebrate our international God! Let’s remember our call to play our part in praying for all men; for leaders and those who have authority over us…for world missions. When we begin to do so, not only will God work in the world, but also in our hearts in expanding our understanding of His universal reign over all the earth – Christ’s supreme reign that will be consummated when He returns one day, to claim for Himself His people and His land.
