1I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1 – 4)
7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7)
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:44)
Today we conclude our reflections on the Discipline of Prayer. We have looked at the Biblical direction to pray for a world in need and the confidence we should have when praying. Today, we will examine a few verses that point us to some ideas for our “world” prayer list. Please prayerfully read the passages above.
Sometimes, the last people we want to spend our time praying for are people we don’t like. Politicians might readily come to mind or people who have done us or people we know harm. In fact, we might wish people we don’t like would suffer misfortune. Do you remember Jonah’s attitude towards the people of Nineveh?
Please consider the question below.
Question
How do you avoid being guilty of the “let them suffer” syndrome, instead of praying for those you don’t like?