Praying for your Pastor

The Church at Severn Run   -  

very day I open up my favorite phone app. This app allows me to stay in touch with friends, family, and distant memories. Facebook is a friend to everyone. It is the first thing many do in the morning, keeping up with trends, reading the news, and sharing life’s main events.

There is one thing on Facebook that continues to amaze me; it’s the amount of my friends and loved ones asking me for the same thing at least once per week. PRAYERS.

No, it is not a specific call to me, but a call to their list of friends to do what Christians aim to do everyday when they pray–have a group of believers, their circle, all believing, desiring, and praying for the same thing at one time throughout the day. I know that every time I see a friends, acquaintance, or loved one type “just asking for prayers”, I respond and immediately say a prayer. This is easy, this is virtual, this is friendship.

Looking at the way we so easily intercede for others makes me think, wouldn’t it be just as easy to pray for the one person who prays for us everyday, without fail, without ceasing? Why don’t we pray for our pastor more often? He spends time talking to us, counseling us, and guiding our souls to eternal life in the kingdom.

Who has been tasked with the job of praying for the church’s head?

The easy answer is, YOU.  

Jeremiah 3:15 says, “And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

Shepherds need many things in order to accomplish their jobs and those are the things we should pray for. Reminding ourselves that for one, our pastor is a man first. He is human and therefore needs to meet the basic human needs. After, he is a man of God, which requires strength, focus, love, patience, kindness, and a spirit of unbelievable faith.

The next time you see that request asking for prayers for a friend, also think about the one person who doesn’t always ask. The one person who sees, hears, and responds to your every prayer request and is challenged by God himself to pray for you everyday. Know that he is strong because he has to be, but we can pray for that extra push.

Are you the one? Are you the person who will respond “prayers sent” when the leader of the church needs extra support?

You can start at any time, it only takes a moment.

Here are some ways you can specifically pray for your pastor:

  • Pray that he will be continually guided by the Spirit
  • Pray that he will hear God’s voice clearly
  • Pray that he will clearly deliver the message God has laid on his heart
  • Pray that he will be strong and avoid temptation
  • Pray that he will seek wise counsel
  • Pray that he will continually find rest and peace in Jesus

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior…” -1 Timothy 2:1-3