LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil_
Thursday 10th February 2022
ONE GOD, ONE MEDIATOR
Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 2
For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 1 Timothy 2:5–6
The theme of the verses we are studying is prayer. Our passage for today highlights some key tenets of the Christian faith we must uphold as we engage in the practice of prayer.
• One God. Christianity is a monotheistic faith. We do not pray before different gods. We only pray before one God. Christians can sometimes feel pressured to pray to other deities. We can feel that pressure when we have prayed about something for a long time without relief. However, as Christians, we must have faith in only the One True God.
• Jesus our mediator. A mediator is an intermediary, the person in the middle, who effects a reconciliation between two rival parties. No other being qualifies to mediate between God and man. That means we cannot look up to our pastor or some other spiritual leader to mediate with God on our behalf.
The passage speaks of ‘the Man Christ Jesus’. That phrase shows us that part of the work of Jesus as our mediator was for Him to be like us. He identified with our weaknesses in order for Him to redeem us from our weaknesses.
That is how we should also pray when we intercede for others. We take on their burdens and bring their needs before God.
• Jesus gave Himself for all. This is why we must pray for all. The Lord Jesus did not only die for His disciples, He paid the price for all of humanity’s sins. In the same way, we cannot choose to only pray for those we like or those who like us.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for showing me the way of salvation. I receive Christ as my Lord and Saviour. In Jesus name, Amen!_
