More than a prayer....

I am coming off of a very full weekend where I spoke and sang at Acquire the Fire in Amherst, Mass. On the flight home I was looking out the window and watching the sun begin to pour it's colors onto that thin line of horizon and I found myself tearing up and overwhelmed with emotions. I had the oportunity to speak with many young people and even adults after I spoke and sang and one after the other they would ask me to pray with them. Tears would be streaming down faces and stories of broken people longing for restoration from God came at me full on. I embrace this and am humbled by the fact that God even uses me, a broken, cracked person longing for restoration myself, to touch the lives around me. My prayers would be those of asking God to forgive, for God to restore, for God to mend broken hearts and relationships. The weight of it all could smother you if not for the underlining hope that lifted it with each amen. so, at this moment watching the horizon, 38,000 feet above the ground I begin to weep at the thought of the hand that painted the sky being the same hand and arms that wrap around me and love me. These hands that also wrap around and love each and every one of us. I then being to wish I had the ability to DO something other than just pray for people. I have such a strong urge to be back at that arena, armed with ways to help. Just as I am about to become overwhelmed by the reality that I am heading in the other direction and not able to do so, I feel as if God whispers to me..You are my hands and feet. I am taken aback by this. I know this, I sing the song, I speak about it I live it. But it is simple. Even though I am not able to be there in person, other believers are. We need to do MORE than just pray for our friends, our parents, our children, our peers.. we need to BE Jesus to them. I think it is wonderful to pray for people, I know that there is power in prayer. But I think that we sometimes pray for someone or for a situation and then walk away without another thought. What a missed oportuiny to BE Jesus! I think it is time for Christians to not be known by our lack luster, judgmental, hypocritical stereotype. Let’s DO SOMETHING to change that! Let's get off of our backsides and BE Jesus. Take opportunities when they are presented. If a single mom asks for prayer because she is struggling to make ends meet, MEET a NEED! Take her grocery shopping, offer to watch her children for a night. If a teenager is acting out and asking for help with addictions, or maybe they have messed up and feel like no one cares about them.. DO SOMETHING! Take them under your wing and disciple them. Be an accountability partner with them. There are over 3 BILLION people on this planet; we are more than capable to find ONE (at least) to BE JESUS too. I am myself, ashamed to say that I do not practice this on a daily basis. But I want to start a movement a REVOLUTION of ACTION! I want to be known as a follower of Jesus and as one who ACTS (it's a VERB) like Jesus as well.
My prayer today is that I am more than just a prayer, that I am IN ACTION and DOING what God wants me to do.

heather