I live in Florida. The shooting wasn’t far from my home.  After each shooting, I hear thoughts and prayers. I’m torn with this statement. I ask for prayers on a regular basis. I know my dependancy on God is great, without him I am nothing. I appreciate the intercessory prayers lifted up on my behalf. I feel honored and humble when I’m asked to pray for others.  I know prayer is important. I also know faith without works is dead.

The comments prayer needs to be back in school. Not a bad idea but if the prayer that was said before the Pledge of Allegiance is back it wasn’t much of a prayer. I remember standing as a child going through the routines. Hand on heart, head down, announcements, and then the day would begin, my teacher never once led me to Christ in school with a minute prayer over the speaker system. I think saying that prayer should be back in school and to remember this ritual as effective is short sided. Prayer is in school. Teachers and students pray. What if more Christians volunteered at school? Helped teachers and students, were an extra pair of eyes, or maybe walked the halls before school praying over the classrooms. I think this would be more effective than bringing back a ritual prayer broadcast over the public speaker.

Paul talks about faith, love, and hope in Colossians chapter one. He emphasizes we have a purpose in Christ, we were made by and for God. We are to teach, encourage, and spread the gospel. Prayer is seeking God’s face, being connected by relationship with Christ, wanting what God wants on earth as it is in Heaven, but doing something. Love is an action, not a statement. Even Adam before the fall had a job. In a perfect untainted world in the garden, Adam worked. God isn’t a genie who fixes things without the use of humans. If you are a prayer warrior, the work of Christ needs you but if you say thoughts and prayers with no follow-up, a nonexistent or fleeting prayer, and placing the blame on others without doing something it’s a problem. How would you like a friend that only called when they had a problem and wanted you to fix it? That’s called enabling. God isn’t an enabler. We are all saved by faith and not works. I’m not talking about salvation. I’m talking about a broken world and us as Christians being the light. We all have gifts 1Corinthians chapter 12. What are you using your gifts for?

If going to church and being a consumer is what most Christianity is about, I want nothing to do with that. I’m glad that isn’t true Christianity.  I want to go to church on Sunday and meet with other believers. I want to know I have a savior and know how much the world needs Jesus, not rituals or consumerism. I don’t want a religion. I want to be light. I want to show love. My heart breaks and I pray to God for change but it doesn’t stop there. A heart can be broken and not like the destruction of the world but hurting for someone without action is ineffective. The bible states widows, orphans, prisoners, the sick, and needy, are to be looked after. My plea is to pray and move in the direction you feel led by the holy spirit, to read the gospel and know the word letting it seep into your heart moving you forward into more and more fruit-bearing action, and to have faith that moves when it doesn’t make sense.  I’m praying for a revival in my area but I know I’m not alone and there is movement with the prayer. Anything is possible with God but praying for others to do what you can do might be a cop-out. I’m sorry for this not being the most encouraging post. My heart is heavy with the message of what we myself included are sending to nonbelievers. Thank you for listening.