Responsibilty of Prayer

Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions,

and giving of thanks be made for all men.

1 Timothy 2:1 (NKJ)

Notice the words of this verse that Paul used—supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks.

Supplications: humble and earnest entreaties, petitions.

Prayers: petitions and entreaties to God or communing with God.

Intercessions: interposing (intervening) or pleading to God on behalf of another.

Giving of thanks: expressing gratitude or appreciation; also, oddly, could mean giving of responsibility for or holding responsibility for—in essence, putting others in God's hands.

Essentially, Paul puts these four together as a unit—"first of all." And in concert, they give the sense that coming to God on behalf of others is to put them in His care to do what is best for them, giving over to Him that responsibility.

Praying moms, this is what we do when we arise, cry out, and pour out our hearts like water before the presence of our Lord, when we lift our hands to Him for the lives of our children "who faint for hunger at the head of every street" (Lamentations 2:19). We hand over to our Lord the responsibility for their care. We ask Him to do what is best for them.

Jesus told us to persevere in prayer and not give up (Luke 18:1). When we do, the Lord said God takes that responsibility seriously. Jesus said, ”Yes! He will answer them quickly!" He went on, though, to ask, "But the question is: When I, the Messiah [the Son of Man], return, how many will I find who have faith and are praying?” Luke 18:8 (TLB)

May we remember our first priority—to pray. And may we keep praying remembering God's responsibility—and His promise—to answer our prayers.