With another tragic shooting in the news this week, the world is offering up thoughts and prayers for the victims.
For many that’s a wonderful thing.
For others it is a farce. What’s the value of thoughts and prayers when nothing is done to change the brokenness in the world?
Are our thoughts and prayers anything more than token sentiment?
In Nehemiah 2, we see that Nehemiah’s faith expressed itself in thoughts and prayers that changed the world.
Nehemiah heard from his brother that Jerusalem was in a state of trouble and shame. His thoughts and prayers went out to his people. Let’s look at the ingredients of his response of faith.
- 4 months of prayer and fasting.
- A lifetime of faithful performance in the marketplace.
- A pinch of tact and persuasion.
- A generous amount of planning.
The end result? A change of policy which opens the door for the restoration of Jerusalem.
Prayer, performance, persuasion and planning – all mixed together masterfully by the invisible and good hand of God to build the kingdom of righteousness in this world.
This is the kind of thought and prayer that the world needs.
Tom Brown is the planting pastor of Vintage Faith Church in Wichita. Tom and his wife, Mandy, have worked together in ministry for 18 years and have four children. More about Pastor Tom Brown