07/07/2019
Do you pray for your pastor, reverend, priest, or other spiritual leaders, and do you make intercession for them on a regular basis? We are inclined to think that by their position in the church, and the fact that we so often seek their guidance and prayers, that they are above the need for the pitiful prayers of someone such as us... but nothing could be further from the truth.
“He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. Brothers, pray for us.”
1 Thessalonians 5:24-25 ESV
The senior pastor at my church has retired, and this morning a new, much younger, senior pastor will join our congregation, and begins his service to us from the pulpit, and in faith. My church just happens to be large, so there are several pastors tending here, and I pray for each of them by name in my daily prayers, but the senior pastor holds a special place among them; so he is often looked upon as being our intercessor... not so much as the one who needs us to intercede for him... yet I pray for him, and his predecessors in that position, each morning, just as we all should pray for those who minister to us.
This is why today, much to my amazement, and conviction, when I picked up the devotional book I am currently reading each morning, (which is the updated edition of “Morning and Evening” by Charles Spurgeon), I was immediately overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit as I read his subject... ‘praying for our ministers.’ I listened to his pleading words as he wrote of the prayerful needs of those called into the ministry...
“As officers in Christ’s army, we ministers are a special target for the hatred of people and demons; they watch for our weakness, and work to trip us up.....
We want to help you by our preaching; we desire to bless your children; we long to be useful both to saints and sinners — so, dear friends, intercede for us with our God!” - Charles Spurgeon
I thought to myself... how is it that on this day that my reading should be on this particular subject... as if by my plan. Yet, there is no way that I planned this, or my church planned this, but that God alone had brought this to my attention for our consideration today... that we should all pray for our spiritual leaders as is so often requested in scripture... such as in this request that Paul made in his letter to Timothy...
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”
1 Timothy 2:1-2 ESV
Humble and lowly people are inclined to feel that there is nothing that those in positions above them, in government or faith, could possibly need from them... other than perhaps taxes and tithes... yet that is not true. Even more than these pieces of silver and gold, they need our greatest treasure... our prayers. In his letters, Paul thanks the churches for sending him their financial support, but he holds their prayers to be of such great value that he asks for them specifically!
“At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”
Colossians 4:3-4 ESV
If those who minister to you fail to ask regularly for your prayers then pray all the more fervently for them. Pray that they be humbled and made aware of this need in their lives and ministry, and pray that the Lord would open their eyes to this lack of Christ-like nutrition in their spiritual diet... humility. Delivering the Word, and gospel, to those in one’s care should not be confused with his own personal piety, or holiness, but as a calling, a gift from God, that should be returned to Him intact, and with interest attached. Jesus spoke this when He said...
“...Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”
Luke 12:48 ESV
So we should pray for those whose calling it is to pray for us, and to shepherd us. We should pray for them so that the strength of their prayers in our intercession might reach new heights of sanctity, and that the Word which the Holy Spirit leads them to deliver to us will be fruitful, full of God’s truth... and not twisted to serve man. We should never neglect to pray for their protection from evil, and temptation, either physical, or spiritual in nature. We should ask that God’s hand be on them always.
“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.”
2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 ESV
Will you join me today in prayer for our ministers, pastors, reverends, and all those others who have been called to serve us as shepherds? Will you include them each day?
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for those you have called into the ministry, and who serve you as the shepherds to your flocks. I thank you for the faithful obedience they have shown to your will for them. I pray Holy Father that your Spirit instill in each of them the gifts they need to reach out humbly into the world and present your Word, and the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are spiritually hungry for this manna. I pray that you give them wisdom, knowledge, intelligence, and the humility with which Jesus served you. I pray that you teach them to humble themselves in the care they provide to each of those you gave over to their care. Father, let them be able to say, as Jesus did, that they “Lost not one”, and that if one was lost that this loss served your purpose, and your will. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who calls us to serve you, and to honor you by our humble obedience to your will. Great are you Holy Father, and by your increase help us to understand that we must decrease; by your grace we are meant to see sin all the more clearly, and before your Word, we are to humbly submit ourselves... to kneel. Praised be your name for the gifts you have given us so that we are made able to do the things you have called us to do, and for revealing to us how much more wonderful you are than any of your messengers. All glory is yours Father, and we pray today that those who serve you, and deliver the gospel of Jesus to the starving will not fail you in either obedience, or humility as they bow before you, and wash the feet of every poor soul which you have entrusted to their care. Thank you Lord for our pastoral intercessors, and lead us faithfully in our intercession on their behalf.
“While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”
John 17:12 ESV
Rich Forbes