"A Time To Pray"

(1 Tim. 2:1-7)

Rev. Billy D. Strayhorn

INTRODUCTION:

In a small town, the volunteer fire department's telephone was answered by the police officer on duty, who would in turn sound the fire whistle to rally the volunteers. One Saturday morning, the chief of police had just come on duty when the fire department phone rang. He picked up the phone and said, "Fire Department." A voice on the other end of the line frantically said, "Send the fire truck!" Then the caller immediately slammed the phone down. the chief stood there stunned, not knowing what to do. In a few minutes the phone rang again. Quickly he picked it up and said again, "Fire Department!" Again the voice cried, "Send the fire truck!" Again the caller immediately hung up. Realizing that someone's house was possibly at stake, he rushed outside and scanned the sky to see if he could see smoke and therefore send the fire trucks in that direction. While outside he also devised a plan as to how to keep the caller from hanging up so quickly if she called back. Sure enough the phone rang again and he went running inside. Picking up the phone he quickly asked, "Where's the fire?" The lady on the other end screamed, "In the kitchen," and slammed the phone down again.

The telephone is a great tool for communication when used properly. Just like e-mail. E-mail allows us to communicate in a wonderful way. The information we want to send, the words of encouragement and love, the stories that make us laugh zoom through the wires. Mary and I, like a lot of you, keep in contact with our families via long distance. E-mail makes this easier. But as easy as e-mail is, the telephone is even better. You can express yourself in e-mail but you can actually hear the tone in the other persons voice over the phone. You can tell how they are feeling or if something is bothering them Using the telephone is really the next best thing to being in the presence of that person.

Both e-mail and the telephone allow us to communicate with those we love. So does prayer. That's why Paul urges his young protégé, Timothy, to pray so fervently.

Prayer is the soul's communication with God. It is our way of keeping in touch with the one who created us and all that is around us. Prayer is our way of connecting to the one who empowers our life and our faith. It's the way we come into the presence of God. Paul tells Timothy and us to pray in four specific ways: "I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone." Let's look at those today.

I. WAYS TO PRAY:

A. SUPPLICATIONS: The first way Paul tells Timothy to pray is through "supplications" This word literally means "request". And could probably be translated as "the prayers of the people." This is the kind of prayer we pray on Sunday morning when we gather the thoughts and requests of those in our worship services and lift them together to God. This type of request or supplication includes, especially those things which we can get involved in personally in answering. Things like food, clothing, assistance and those kinds of needs.

I read a story about the power of combining prayer and action. It seems William Gladstone knew a little girl in his neighborhood who believed strongly in prayer. Her current concern was a trap that her brother had made to catch birds. She loved birds, so she prayed that God make her brother a failure in his attempt to catch birds. She had shared her prayer with Gladstone and told him how hard she was praying. One day, Gladstone noticed how happy the little girl looked so he asked her, "Julia, you look so pleased. Are you still confident your prayers will be answered?" Julia smiled a knowing smile and retorted, "I know for sure that my prayers will be answered. Yesterday I kicked my brothers trap to pieces." (2)

There are some prayers which need to be voiced so that others can hear what needs to be attended to. That's what supplications are. When we lift our concerns and joys. We are inviting others to enter into that concern or joy with us. Some of them call for action, others simply call for prayer or thanksgiving. But we should pray with supplications, lifting our requests to God.

B. PRAYERS: Paul then mentions another form he simply calls "prayers", or at least that's how we translate it. What Paul means here are those requests which only God can meet. Sometimes there are things that only God can change.

There's an old story about a mother who was listening to her little boy say his bedtime prayers. "Thank you, God, for Mommy and for Daddy. And please God, please, make St. Louis the Capital of Missouri." His mother was surprised and curious so she asked him, "Why did you pray for St. Louis to be the capital of Missouri?" "Because that's the answer I put on my test." (3)

We all know that sometimes there are things in life which only God can change. They're too big us; too big for our family and friends and the only one big enough to handle them is God. It might be a heartbreak. It could be someone suffering from a terrible experience. Or it could be something we just can't handle. These are the prayers we lift to God and acknowledge that God IS the only one who can handle them.

C. INTERCESSIONS: Next Paul tells Timothy to pray prayers of "intercessions" These are the prayers we make for the needs of others. During our time in worship known as "Prayers of the People", we bring our personal requests and lift our personal "supplications" before the congregation. Once these "supplications" are voiced, they become the subject or our congregations prayers for intercession. You see, we are asking God to intercede. We are asking God to get involved, to step in and do something. To bring peace or heal or give guidance.

Intercession is praying for other people. Paul tells Timothy to pray intercessory prayers for everyone. Even or especially for the kings and rulers of the world. Why? Well, who needs our prayers more than those who are in charge. Can you think of anyone who might need our prayers right now more the President, his family and all of Congress. Don't get me wrong, what he did was wrong. It was deplorable. But he has confessed and asked forgiveness. And he seems to be trying to make amends. So we should be praying for him. Our country needs those prayers as well. Prayers for healing, for forgiveness, and for a renewed focus on other more important issues that still face our country.

This is what Paul meant by intercessions. Prayers seek God's help in bringing about "a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity."

D. THANKSGIVINGS: The last form of prayer Paul talks about is "thanksgivings" .This is simply basking in the glory of God and saying thank you for the blessings of life. The tiny delicate detail of a newborn baby's hand. The fragile beauty of a dew covered spider web. The smell of fresh rain. The joy in our loved one's eyes when they see us. The giggle of children coming down the hall after Sunday School. All of these are things that touch our hearts and souls and should fill us with a thankful Spirit.

Being filled with a thankful spirit then should lead us to offer up prayers of thanksgiving. There's an old camp poem entitled "Methuselah's Food" that I want to share with you.

"Methuselah ate what he found on his plate,

and never, as people do now,

did he note the amount of the caloric count;

he ate it because it was chow.

He wasn't disturbed as at dinner he sat,

consuming a roast or a pie,

to think it was lacking in granular fat,

or a couple of vitamins shy.

He cheerfully chewed every species of food,

untroubled by worries or fears,

lest his health might be hurt by some fancy desert,

and he lived over nine hundred years."

I don't think it was his diet that helped Methuselah live as long as he did. I think it was his thankful spirit. Thankfulness allows us to focus on God and not ourselves. And that's the natural order of things. God first, then others, finally, in last place, us. When we have a thankful heart and lift up prayers of thanksgiving we are focusing on God, the creator of all for which we are thankful.

Paul writes, "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone." This then is our form of prayer. Our marching orders in our prayer life, so to speak.

II. FOR WHOM TO PRAY:

A. It seems pretty straight forward doesn't it? And it is. But it is not easy. Why? Because Paul makes another point. One that makes us uncomfortable. Paul tells us to pray for "everyone." That's a tall order. That's difficult. Earlier I said that we should pray for the President and his family. That doesn't mean that you or I REALLY want to do that. But it is something we SHOULD do. It doesn't matter who the person is or how they have offended us. We are called to pray for them. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:44-45)

Jesus makes it clear, this is the expected behavior of His followers. We are challenged to live like Christ and to pray for everyone.

III. HOW TO PRAY:

One more brief thing and then we'll be finished. Some of you may be asking, "OK, all of this was really good but how do I pray?"

Well, I'm glad you asked that question. I've got a little pocket sized card for each of you put out by the Upper Room entitled: "The Secret to Abundant Living: Learning How to Ask. In it there are Ten Steps to God. These ten steps are easy ways to get your self and your mind focused upon God and spending some time in communication and communion with the one who makes all of life possible.

I won't read it to you or give the details. But it only takes about 15 minutes a day. Those fifteen minutes will put the right focus on your day and on all of your relationships. And they will draw you closer to God.

CONCLUSION:

Communicate with the one who loves you the most. Spend time in prayer. Take Paul's advice to Timothy offer "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone."

This is the Word of the Lord for this day.

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Bibliography

1. James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 110.

2. Parables, Etc. (Platteville, Colorado: Saratoga Press), March 1981

3. The Pastor's Story File (Platteville, Colorado: Saratoga Press), May 1995

Other References Consulted

William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible, the Letters of Timothy, Titus and Philemon (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975) p. 57-58.