I was with a couple of friends on Friday morning. We are studying the role of prayer in the Gospels and what we learn from Jesus about prayer – both in what He taught and what He modeled. In the sermon on the mount He told His listeners to “pray for those who persecute you.” It would be rare in North America to hear of someone being persecuted for their faith. We hear of it in other parts of the world but in North America we may be mocked or harassed or maybe looked over for a promotion but that is usually the extent of it.
Nevertheless, the principle still applies. We are instructed to pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5) whether that is an unkind word or a threat on life. As we began to talk about that bit of instruction a question came to mind:
“What am I to pray for those who persecute?”
When Peter was in prison, I assume the church was praying for his safety and his release. Paul asked the church to pray for him that he would have boldness to preach the word as he should. Jesus told the disciples to pray the Lord of the harvest to send workers. In what is referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer,” we are instructed to pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
He tells us to pray for our persecutors but doesn’t tell us what to pray.
Are we to pray that they will stop persecuting?
Are we to pray that God will bless them?
Are we to pray that they will have a change of heart?
Are we to ask God to forgive them “for they don’t know what they are doing?”
Are we to ask for all of the above?
Does this same instruction apply to our critics – everyone in leadership experiences criticism – some constructive and some that is hurtful and without basis. How do we pray for our critics?
