Polycarp (70-155) was the last surviving link to Jesus’ original twelve apostles, having been a student of the apostle John. Polycarp served as bishop of Smyrna and was a respected leader in the early church. When the Roman Empire unleashed a new wave of persecutions against Christians. Polycarp was informed that Roman officials were coming to arrest him. While panic-stricken friends urged him to flee, he calmly waited for his captors at home. When they arrived, Polycarp requested food and drink be served to them. He made only one request: one hour to pray before they took him away.
The officers who overheard him praying began to have second thoughts. Why were they arresting a devout old man like this? He was taken to proconsul Quadratus who ordered him to offer incense before a statue of the emperor and deny allegiance to Christ. Polycarp refused, saying, “For eighty and six years I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and Savior who has saved me?” When the proconsul urged him to reconsider, Polycarp stood his ground and was subsequently burned at the stake. His candid confession in the following prayer challenges us to do likewise.
Polycarp
O sweet Savior Christ,in your undeserved love for us
you were prepared to suffer the painful death of the cross,
let me not be cold or even lukewarm in my love for you.
Lord, help me to face the truth about myself.
Help me to hear my words as others hear them,
to see my face as others see me,
Let me be honest enough to recognize my impatience and conceit.
Let me recognize my anger and selfishness,
Give me sufficient humility to accept my own weaknesses
for what they are.
Give me the grace–at least in your presence–to say,
“I was wrong–forgive me.”
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
increase in us faith and truth and gentleness
and grant us part and lot among the saints.
Rev. Dr. Peter James served 42 years as the senior of Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, VA — 21 years in the 20th century and 21 years in the 21st century. He retired in 2021 and now serves as Pastor-in-Residence at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Even as a pastor, prayer came slowly to Pete. Read Pete’s story.