This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior

1 Timothy 2 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people, ² for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. ³ This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. ⁷ For this I was appointed as a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸ Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and dispute. ⁹ Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive apparel, ¹⁰ but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. ¹¹ A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. ¹² But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. ¹³ For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. ¹⁴ And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a wrongdoer. ¹⁵ But women will be preserved through childbirth—if they continue in faith, love, and sanctity, with moderation.

Today’s text says: First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed as a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and dispute. It is important to remember that Paul made this statement at a time when the nation of Israel and the church he was writing to, were occupied by the Roman government, a violent and oppressive ruling authority. Paul tells them that they should pray for the very authorities who persecute them and who crucified Jesus. There is a selfish motive to his exhortation. Paul says the hope of their prayer is that: we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. We too then should be willing to pray for our leaders and for other leaders throughout the world, not only that our lives would be peaceful, but also because: This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Not everyone will be saved and come to the knowledge of truth, but that is what God wants. We are to be those who both pray and fulfill the prayer of Jesus that says: Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  

In Matthew 5:44 Jesus says: “I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”  Just prior to that, in the same sermon, Jesus Sermon on the Mount,  He said: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” John 3:16 says: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”  Jesus came from heaven to earth because God wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. We are to pray that it would be on earth according to God’s will.  We are to live on earth as the revelation of God’s will, shining the light of Christ to the world. In John 15:18-25 Jesus says: “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they followed My word, they will follow yours also. But all these things they will do to you on account of My name, because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. The one who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. But this has happened so that the word that is written in their Law will be fulfilled: ‘They hated Me for no reason.’”

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit, I pray for every leader in this nation and those around the world. I pray that You would bless them. As Romans 2:24 says: Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and restraint and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?  May Your kindness and blessings lead them to repentance and a knowledge of the truth so that they would not know Your righteous judgement and wrath. May I live as a light in the darkness of the world and may I count it as a blessing to be known by and in the same way as Jesus, my Lord. If I would be hated by the world, may it be for the cause of Christ. May Your kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.