Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2022
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
I will never leave you and I will never forsake you (Heb. 13:5).
Do we know of any brother in the congregation who is suffering due to illness, a problem or the death of a loved one? If we hear that someone is having a hard time, we can ask Jehovah to help us by saying a kind word or doing something for him. That can give him just the encouragement he needs (1 Pet. 4:10). We know that Jehovah is there to help us. For this, he can use Jesus and the angels. Also, if he agrees with his purpose, Jehovah can help us through those with a certain authority. And, as many of us know from our own experience, Jehovah uses his holy spirit to make his servants want to help his brothers. So, like the apostle Paul, we can say with confidence: “Jehovah is my helper. I will not have fear. What can man do to me? (Hebrews 13:6). w20. 11 17 paras. 19, 20
How can Jehovah use those who have a certain authority?
What help do we receive? When he agrees with his purpose, Jehovah can use his powerful holy spirit to get those in authority to do what he wants. King Solomon wrote: “The heart of a king is like streams of water in the hand of Jehovah. He directs him where he wants” (Prov. 21:1). What does this proverb mean? Human beings can dig a channel to divert the water of a river to where it suits them. Similarly, Jehovah can use his spirit to divert the thoughts of rulers in a direction that is in harmony with his purpose. In such cases, those people are motivated to make decisions that benefit God's people (compare Ezra 7:21, 25, 26).
Given what Acts 12:5 says, who can we pray for?
What can we do? We can pray “for kings and for all who are in positions of authority” when they have to make decisions that affect our Christian activities (1 Tim. 2:1, 2, footnote; Neh. 1:11). Just as first-century Christians did, we earnestly pray to God for our brothers and sisters who are in prison (read Acts 12:5; Heb. 13:3). In fact, we can even pray to Jehovah to influence the minds of the guards who guard our brothers so that they feel motivated to act like Julio and treat them “with human kindness.”—Acts 27:3, footnote.
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