We Are The Answer To Prayer

Last updated on: January 5, 2016 at 12:25 am by John O'Keefe

We Are The Answer To Prayer 2016-01-05T00:25:11-05:00 John O'Keefe

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Prayer is a wonderful thing, it truly is a wonderful thing. Prayer can change lives, and it can open our hearts to the expression of the Divine in the world. I was once told, ‘Pray can motivate the heart.” I agree, it can motivate the heart; but if the heart is motivated it should be motivated into an action. When we prayer for others we should be listening for the voice of the Divine and hear how we can be doing, helping, moving in the lives of the people we pray for. Prayer does not end our responsibility, it starts it.

Over my walk in the faith I have heard more and more use the “I’ll pray for you” line as a way of doing nothing. But if we’re truly in prayer, truly connected to the Divine, the Divine will speak to us about what it is we’re suppose to do – how we’re to get involved in the lives of those in need. Saying, “I’ll pray for you” has become a cheap way of saying, “I don’t have time for this, so I will tell you I’ll pray so you will go away and it won’t cost me anything.”

Prayer is a way for us to hear the voice of the Divine and hear how the Divine wants us to move to action. In their respective letters, James and John share with us the idea that we are to be an action people, “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (1 Jn 3:17-18)” and “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:15-17).” You see, we are called to action, and if we see prayer as important, and it is, we should be listening to the Divine and hear how we are called to that action.

I know so many people who spend a great deal of time in prayer. When they pray, they do all the talking and never stop to hear the Divine speak to them. If the Divine desired us to spend all of our time in prayer, without action, Jesus would have spent all his time praying for people instead of going out to help them. Jesus did spend time praying, and when he did he usually asked questions – waiting to hear the Divine’s answer, so He could be part of the solution and not simply one of those people that pray as a badge of courage.

Did you know that the term “Prayer Warrior” never appears in Scripture.

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