I understand that the phrase “sending thoughts and prayers” isn’t enough if it’s just a platitude. However, I don’t know about you, but I get clarity through prayer…and I believe prayer has power. Do you? “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12.

That’s a REALLY powerful statement.

So I’m choosing to pray. The Republicans aren’t going to save us. Neither are the Democrats. I think Handel nailed it when he used Revelation 19 as his text for The Hallelujah Chorus. “The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever.”

This is what will save us. You may or may not believe that, but consider this question. What if all the recent shooters had uttered this beforehand… “Not my will but thine be done”? Well, we wouldn’t be calling them shooters.

We need a spiritual revolution. Soul change, individually and collectively. We need surrender to God, who by the way, is defined by love.

Now, on to “do.” Faith without works is dead. Our prayers and faith must result in action. Some will work on serious campaigns to reduce gun violence. Some will work to further mental health services. Some will care for a neighbor. This list could go on forever. We get our marching orders through prayer, then we march.

And finally, we watch. We watch God work. We watch for reminders that good is doing battle with evil. We watch for messages to our hearts. We trust that God is a bigger deal than we are.

We take a leap of faith to believe that this can change the world.