Dear Disciple,
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people…This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.” 1 Timothy 2:1-7
Your Father would have you pray today, Disciple. I’m sure you know this, and I truly hope that you have a desire to pray, aware of what a great privilege it is to approach the throne of grace with confidence because of what our Master has sacrificed and accomplished for us (see Hebrews 4:16). While you, pray, though, do not miss this crucial truth that our brother Paul explained to our brother Timothy: our prayers are an important part of God’s purposes being fulfilled.
Notice in the text quoted above that God’s desire for all to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth led to Jesus becoming the one mediator between God and mankind and the ransom for all people. It wasn’t enough for God to desire it; He had to act, and act He did. He acted in a dramatic and sacrificial way.
Not only did God act through His beloved Son Jesus, He called others to serve as witnesses of what He had done. What good would His great work have done if no one knew about it in order to respond and be changed by it? Paul was one of those who was so called. He was sent (thus, an apostle) to announce (thus, a herald) God’s saving actions to the nations.
God wanted people to be saved and to know the truth that would save them, and so did His great servant Paul. Alas, wanting is not enough. It never has been. Wanting must lead to acting toward the goal. As you pray today, Disciple, are you willing to implore God for the good of others – especially that they would be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth? If so, are you willing to then act with God toward that goal? Will you follow His wise and powerful Spirit’s lead in bringing it about?
Praises to God that He is a God who acts toward His good desires for us. May we be like our Father, learning how from our great Master Jesus. He is, after all, our one true Mediator and Ransom. Praises to Him for that!
Asking and acting with you,
Ryan