Good and Acceptable

by Brandy Webb

The world seems to be in chaos. In my opinion, it feels like up is down and down is up. Christian values are ridiculed. Sin is called good. Hypocrisy reigns, and it is hard to hear and discern anything because of all of the noise. 

I never fully realized how powerful fear and anger could be. It seriously destroys rational thought, and a lot of innocent people are suffering because of the craziness that fear and anger cause. Unfortunately, those who are in power, on both sides, are not helping the situation. I guess they have forgotten the truth statement, a house divided cannot stand (Matthew 3:25). 

However, despite all of this chaos, we have a job to do that does not require us to even leave our homes:

1 I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings, be made for all people: 2 for kings and all who are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-4, emphasis mine).

We are to pray for all people. Our Messiah died for everyone, even our enemies, even politicians, even us. None of us are perfect, for we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This is why our Messiah died for us; we needed a Savior. All humanity needs the Savior. Our Father and Messiah desire to save all of humanity. The Creator of the universe wants us to stop judging those in the world, and instead start praying for them, for it is His job to judge the world, not ours (1 Corinthians 5:12-13).

Just think how humbling it is when we go before the throne of God in prayer, and we pray a blessing for those that we think are corrupt, praying for God’s healing and eye-opening experience to befall them. Plus, we are to esteem others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). What better way to do that than to pray for all humanity to be saved before we pray for ourselves? I also think that if we get in the habit of praying diligently and fervently, because the fervent prayer of the saints “availeth much” (James 5:16), it may give us peace during these times and possibly change the environment from one of negativity to positivity. Who knows? All I know is according to God’s Word it is “good and acceptable” to Him for us to pray for all humanity to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4). Plus, it may open our eyes to look upon those we may disagree with and see them the way our Messiah sees them.

The truth is, God’s people have a gift that we did not deserve. God, for some reason, opened our eyes and ears to His Word. However, we still look through the glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13:12). We are not perfect, and we do not understand everything. Yet, we have God-given jobs to do, and one of them is to pray for all humanity to come to repentance and be saved. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).