MORE THAN WORDS

Have you ever prayed for something… and then just waited?

Waiting is not wrong, but sometimes, we confuse waiting with being passive. Let us look at what the Scripture says:

Jeremiah 29:12-13 – ‘Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.’

Matthew 7:7 – ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.’

Prayer is more than just speaking – it is seeking. It is about pursuing God with our whole being – heart, mind, and action. That means prayer is not passive. We do not just talk and then sit still. We ask, seek, and knock, and then we look for His response. That could be through opening our Bibles more, seeking counsel with fellow Christians, or by being alert to what God is doing around us. But one thing is for sure: God responds to those who seek Him wholeheartedly.

Let us look at Nehemiah. He heard about Jerusalem’s broken walls. He wept, fasted, and prayed. But then… he acted. He went to the king, made a plan, and rebuilt the city walls. His prayer was not just lip service – it moved him to action.

Now, let us flip the perspective. What if… you are the answer to someone’s prayer?

James 2:15-16 says, ‘If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,  and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?’

And in Galatians 6:2, Paul writes – ‘Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.’

That is the heart of God. He often answers prayer through His people. Think about Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. The eunuch was reading the Scriptures but did not understand it. God sent Philip to explain it and that man was baptised that day.

Let us look at a couple more examples:In Exodus 3:7-10, God heard the prayers of the Israelites and His answer was to send someone willing to act to deliver them. God sent Moses.

In Acts 9:10-18, Saul, blinded and praying, was met by Ananias, a believer but not an apostle. Yet God told him, “Go.” And through his obedience, Saul was healed, baptised, and began his ministry as Paul.

Remember that we are all the body of the Church, the hands and feet of God. Let us not miss the moments where we get to be God’s instrument. We are not called to be passive spectators in faith. God calls us to take part in the very answers we seek. And He also calls us to participate in His redemptive work. When someone needs a word of encouragement, God may use your voice. When someone is hungry, He may use your hands to feed. When someone is lost, He may use your feet to go and find them. You may be the very answer someone has been crying out to God for.

You are not just attending church - you are the Church. Let us live in such a way that God can use us fully, as His arms and legs, to touch lives and point people to His love.

Ask Yourself:

1. How can I better seek God’s answers – not just speak my requests?

2. Who might be praying for something I can help with today? Maybe someone needs encouragement, a listening ear, financial assistance or a prayer.