为人人祈求 Pray For Your World

Title: Pray For Your World
Date: 01 September 2024
Preacher: Rev Enoch Keong

I. Introduction
Allow me to read for us the words of a written prayer. “O Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not only remember the suffering they have inflicted on us; remember the fruits we bought, thanks to this suffering: our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, the courage, the generosity, the greatness of heart which has grown out of all this. And when they come to judgment, let all the fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness.” [1]

We will come back to this prayer later, and I shall tell us where I took it from.

II. Intercession
The topic this morning is intercession, and this prayer is a superb example of what intercession may involve. This morning, we read 1 Timothy for our reflection on intercession because the passage comes with a story that echoes modern mindsets and provides a basis for what Paul is asking the church to do.

The story goes this way. In the Church of Ephesus, there was a group of elders that went about telling others fascinating stories that fuelled speculations on faith and beliefs. They taught hearers on genealogies and myths. Their effort produces 2 undesirable outcomes. The group started to gain followers from within the church and resulted in division among the members. Not only so, but the errant group also focused on winning the others over to their point of view. So, instead of reaching out to unbelievers. These elders sought to convert the believers in the church. The church became inward-looking.

The errant teachings notwithstanding, inward-looking is never a sign of health for the church. God's people are shown blessing and are called to pass on God’s blessings. Yet, Churches tend to lean towards being inward-looking. Whether in ancient or modern times, in the West where many churches have been repurposed for commercial activities, or in our region where Christians goes to churches, enjoy them and keep them the way they find enjoyable. Yet, God’s church should not be inward-looking.

Hence, as a counter measure, Paul writes that “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people”. He emphasizes on prayer to be made especially the movers and shakers in our world, so that Christian worship, witness and works may be unhindered.

Praying for all people, says Paul, should be the thing Christians do ‘first of all’. The expression means that praying for all people should be the first thing that Christians do when they gather to worship God. ‘First of all’ also underscores the importance of intercession.

Yet, I will be the first to confess this morning that I do not spend a large portion of the day interceding for others and the world. Neither does intercession take up a big portion of time in our worship services. In other words, we do intercede in fulfilling our responsibility as Christians, but we may not have the kind of enthusiasm that Paul is talking about.

Honestly, I don’t blame myself or anyone for that. We do what we can in our busy schedule. Question, do we indeed do what we can for the love of people and the world? Do we believe that God pays attention to our prayer uttered through simple faith? That our going in-between God and others, and their needs can indeed make a difference?

By suggesting questions for us to think about, I am also pointing out the other thing that Paul urges us to do in the business of intercession; that is to think.

Why ‘pray for all people’? Because, says Paul, God wishes for his creation to enjoy peaceful existence and everyone to be saved. These reasons given by Paul may not move us very much. We are so used to hearing them.

Yet, Paul in giving reasons, is itself something to take note. To supply reasons shows that he is thinking; thinking clearly about God and the world, about God’s project for his creation. [2] In thinking clearly and supplying reasons, Paul is at the same time inviting us to think clearly.

Intercession is not just about collecting prayer pointers from cell group members or church bulletins and praying through them. Intercession is also beyond praying what the church asks us to pray.

Intercession is about eyes kept wide open, minds actively analyzing the situation we come across and the news we received.

Intercession is about taking to God and to wrestle with him concerning what we see, taking to him that which we understand and that we do not, and keep knocking on heaven’s door for interventions.

Our part is to pray, and thereafter we see what God will do in those situations. Yet, that’s not all to look out for when we intercede. Our attitudes, understanding and love for God and his world will grow, change and mature when we intercede. [3]

So, no matter where we are today in the journey of intercession, the encouragement this morning is “that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” Paul isn't saying here that we are to pray with 4 types of prayer, but to be proactive in interceding for all people with all kinds of prayer.

Richard Foster, in his classic work on prayer, discusses 4 forms of intercession. For the rest of our time together, I would like to reflect on 3 of the 4 forms he discussed.

III. Healing
First, healing prayer, that is to pray for those unwell physically and emotionally to be restored to health.

In my little encounter with healing prayer, I come across time and again, this man-centeredness when Christians pray for healing. The most common would be to emphasise on having enough faith for healing to happen. Others insist that all sickness is due to sin, so repentance is key.

Foster, on the other hand, tells us that prayer for healing is something simple and direct. He suggests 4 steps when we intercede for healing. First, listen. We begin by trying our best to listen to people and to God, to discern what really is the issue and what God would have us do. Second, we ask. We exercise faith by asking for God’s healing to come. Third, we believe. We trust in God, that he is good and that his love is steadfast. Fourth, we give thanks. We thank God for what can be, and what will be, by the mercy of God. [4]

Foster then went on to say that although the steps are simple and direct, healing prayer does involve complexities. When we pray, some are healed, while others are not.

And when healing does not take place, we begin to ask, “Why?” At times, we get discouraged when we see people not healed. We even get angry with God for withholding healing.

Why did God withhold healing? The truth is, we don't know. It could be because we have not listened enough to pray the correct prayer. It could be an emotional or spiritual issue, yet we mistakenly ask for physical healing. It could have been sin that hindered God's grace from coming through. We can go on making guesses like Jesus’ disciples in John 9 when they saw the man born blind. But the answer is something else, says Jesus. The man remained blind for many years because it was God's will for him.

This we know very well. I choose to still say it to make a point: healing prayer is not a special class of prayer for a special class of Christian. Rather, healing prayer should be a part of normal Christian prayer life. [5] Our task is to pray healing prayers, the rest is up to God. If the person we pray for receives healing, it is not because of us. If no healing or partial healing comes about, it is also not because of us. We pray for healing simply out of love towards others and in obedience to what the Bible commands. We take no credit nor discredit for the outcome. The point is that we should not let setbacks discourage us from praying for healing. Healing prayer
, we want to remember, should be a part of normal Christian prayer life.

IV. Suffering
The second form of intercession, suffering prayer. This is a form of intercession I believe we are familiar with. Suffering prayer refers to standing with people going through emotional pains and sorrows. To stand in their shoes and cry out to God on their behalf and to ask for them inner healing and to be set free from the painful pass.

What is less heard of in Foster’s book is his suggestion on standing with people not only in their sorrows, but also in their sins and to repent on their behalf, He ask us to do so for our enemies as well.

When others sin against us, we are hurt by them. Yet we do realize that our enemies choose to hurt us because they themselves are hurting inside. They sin against us because they themselves are under the bondage of sin.

Since this is often the case, Forster suggests to repent on behalf of those hurting inside, including our enemies. This is how he puts it, “This idea of repenting on behalf of others may be new to you. ‘Do people not have to repent for themselves?’ you may wonder. You are correct, of course. Each of us must turn for ourselves in heart sorrow for our offenses to Divine Mercy. But—and here is the wonder—our repenting prayers on behalf of others somehow seems to make it easier, more possible for them to turn on their own. How this works I do not know. That it does work I am quite certain.” [6]

What Foster suggests is not only new, it is also an emotionally challenging thing to do. To love, forgive and pray for our enemies is not easy. Yet, when we are willing to ask for strength to pray in this manner, what we bring forth shall be godliness and beauty.

Remember the prayer we saw earlier on? It was written on the piece of wrapping paper found near the body of a dead child in a Nazi concentration camp. Forster quote it in his book. As to who wrote it, we do not know.

How about we read it together? “O Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not only remember the suffering they have inflicted on us; remember the fruits we bought, thanks to this suffering: our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, the courage, the generosity, the greatness of heart which has grown out of all this. And when they come to judgment, let all the fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness.”

When we choose the bear the suffering of those who sins against us through prayer and forgiveness. What we get through such prayers, I believe, would be a newfound freedom and strength. Would we say amen to this?

V. Prophetic
Foster calls the next area we are highlighting “Radical Prayer”, I prefer to call it prophetic concerns prayer. In a word, prophetic concerns prayer is to do what prophets especially in the Old Testament did, that is pray for the world according to the will of God. It is a kind of spiritual underground resistance movement, challenging through prayer, injustice, violence, oppression and status quo. [7]

Prophetic concerns prayer might be very much part of us or something we find foreign to us. For us who often receive promptings to pray for the larger society and the world, we will find this area of intercession very much a part of our life. For us whose life is wrapped in the daily hustling and bustling of city life, and news we receive are only information for personal decision making, then this area of prayer is likely to be rather foreign to us.

Yet, says Paul, that intercession is about eyes wide open, minds actively analyzing the situation in our world, and thinking clearly about God’s project for his creation. And intercession is a calling for all God’s people. Therefore, prophetic prayer should not, or should no longer be regarded as something foreign.

But what are we to do if we have never received promptings on what to pray for the world?

3 suggestions I have for us. First, make time to think and analyse the news and information we receive, and talk to God about them. Seek and pray his will be done for things that are taking place.

Second, we may not be the ones who receive promptings. Yet we do know this Christian friend or this churchmate who does. Or we know someone who is insightful and perceptive of times and trends. Get near to these people and be informed through them on what to pray for our world.

Third, begin by caring. When we care, we will want to do something for the person or matter we care about. And when we care, soon enough, we will find that the needs are often greater than our means and ability to help. At that point, to intercede would be the next thing to do.

I know this might sound random, but I want to say a few words concerning praying for the climate in closing. Not everyone would agree that there is such a thing called global warming, but much of the world can feel the heat increasing and the sea level rising. We in Singapore may not feel much about global warming. Our lifestyle depends on climate more often for choice of leisure activities but not for survival. But I want to encourage us to pray for the wellbeing of our world. If we really don’t feel much for climate change, then how about try out suggestion number 3 for a start?

There are at least 2 reasons why we should pray for the climate. Practically speaking, everything we have comes from mother earth, including the raw material to make the tech gadgets. We need mother earth to be healthy for life to go on.

Theologically speaking, God covenants not only with living beings, including mankind, but the earth as well. God has made it in such a way that the living beings and the earth are connected in an inseparable way in term of well-being. It is one of God’s earlier projects recorded in the bible, and a project still ongoin. May I invite us to be a part of it.

[1]Foster, Richard J.. Prayer - 10th Anniversary Edition: Finding the Heart's True Home (pp. 411-412). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
[2]Wright, Tom. Paul for Everyone: The Pastoral Letters: 1 And 2 Timothy And Titus (New Testament for Everyone Book 15) (p. 27). SPCK. Kindle Edition.
[3]Ibid., p. 27.
[4]Foster, p. 384-92.
[5]Ibid., p.371.
[6]Ibid., p.412.
[7]Ibid., p.454-6.

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