I Am Praying For You

“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,..” (1 Tim. 2:1).

In this passage the apostle Paul reveals to us that the prayers of Christians are to include an appeal to God on behalf of “all men.” Not just for your family and friends, mind you, but also for others - even for the leaders of our nation, as Paul tells us to pray “for kings and all who are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (v. 2). Did you know that Jesus also instructs us to pray for our enemies as well (Matt. 5:43-48)?

But what is the purpose of praying for all men? Paul says, “this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3-4). This is the main point. Though Christ died for the whole world (1 Jn. 2:2), the whole world will not be saved (Matt. 7:13-14). Only those who obey His will can be saved (Heb. 5:9). As the old church hymn says, “I Am Praying For You.”

Aaron Veyon