1 Timothy 2:1-8 (NRSV)
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Chapter 2First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, Verse 2for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. Verse 3This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, Verse 4who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Verse 5For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, Verse 6who gave himself a ransom for all-this was attested at the right time. Verse 7For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. Verse 8I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument;
Devotion
Judy Blume's book Are you there God? It's me, Margaret shaped my understanding of prayer as young person. In the book sixth grader Margaret has a lot of questions about God and different faiths and isn't always sure she believes in God at all, but she prays anyway. And she prays about EVERYTHING—moving, her parents, boys, her questions, friends, getting a bra, getting her period, etc. What I took away from this is that you don't need fancy words and there is nothing off limits when it comes to prayer—even when you aren't always sure what you believe.
In our reading from First Timothy today, Paul offers similar wisdom: "First of all you’ve got to pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know." That's the only way this is going to work. None of us knows exactly how to pray and there is no one right way. Prayer is something we keep learning our whole life long. We learn best by doing and we do well when we do it together.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, as your first disciples once said, so we still say today "Lord, teach us to pray." Amen.