5:145 – Thoughts and Prayers need action

#faithbites #faithjourney action

Intro

Yesterday, another tragedy hit our country. 18 children. This is a horrific event. The most common response is people sending “thoughts and prayers”. When someone passes, we send “thoughts and prayers.” When someone needs something, the same thing, “thoughts and prayer”. God tells us that whatever we lift up in prayer, he will answer. Our prayers are powerful. At the same time, our God is a God of action. He uses people to make things happen. If you look back on your life and see where God intervened, he used a person to take action to make it happen. Praying is the first step, listening to God is second, and the third is taking action.

Questions

• When you hear the phrase, “thoughts and prayers’, what does that mean to you?
• How do you listen to God and then take action?
• What can we do as a community to pray, think, and then take action according to God’s will?

Scripture

• Luke 11:9 – And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
• James 2:14-17 – What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Reflection

When we give out “thoughts and prayers”, we need to truly pray to God and ask him for comfort, peace, and a solution to the problem. Luke tells us that if we ask, he will give us what we need, and help us understand God’s plan. But that’s only steps 1 and 2, step 3, as we see in James, is that call to action. We must act to make God’s works a reality. He tells us what he wants and then it’s up to us to do it. Just doing steps 1 and 2, is having a dead faith. It’s as if we asked our trusted friends for advice and then do nothing with it. Good advice not acted on is useless.

As we close, we grieve and pray for those hurt, lost, in need, and all. We must then act to make the change God wants.

Prayer

Lord God, our hearts are heavy. There are so many horrific events playing out in our nation and our country. We have people who are hurting and lashing out. People who are lost and just don’t know what to do. We seek your guidance as we pray for these and many more.

Lord, you are a God of action. We pray mightily that you will inspire our leaders, friends, and ourselves to take action. Help us to listen to your word and act accordingly to make your Earth better for all of your children. We pray this in your great name, Amen.