Jan 24, 2025 Your Weekend Prayers – Words of Grace Blog – January 24, 2025
This week our community experienced another school shooting that resulted in a murder, a suicide, and deep trauma for many. We pray for help and healing for all impacted by this tragedy.
This morning I read one of the many opinion pieces that included a list of things that need to change or that need to be provided to prevent these kinds of events from happening.
There are good things that can be done to help young people, and people of all ages, deal with issues they face that trouble them to the point of violence. There are things that can be done to lessen the opportunity a person has to commit violent acts. We should hope and pray that as a society we will help people and find ways to keep us all safe. As citizens this is our right and responsibility.
But the burden of my heart this week is for something that is not discussed in public when an event like a shooting happens. That burden is for a spiritual transformation in the hearts of people through faith in Jesus Christ. As Christians this is our unique concern, our fervent prayer, and the mission that guides our lives and congregations.
As Christians we believe that Jesus Christ changes people on two levels. Through Christ a person can be saved from their sins and made right with God to have eternal life. That person can also experience the changes within that are brought about by the Holy Spirit who now lives in them.
We believe that the message of salvation in Jesus Christ is necessary for people to hear so they can repent and trust in him for these saving changes. Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).
Since this is what we believe, this is what we pray and work for. Getting the message to students and people of all ages is what we do as congregations. All citizens will speak about and work for other things. As Christians and congregations, we know that Jesus Christ is Lord and that only he can change a human heart. We know that no one else has this message and the calling to communicate it in our city. The unique burden of our hearts is for people to come to faith in Christ.
The tragedy of this week and the text for the sermon on Sunday provide us with a prayer. “Pray that God may open a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ,” (Colossians 4:3).
Let us commit to earnest, continual intercession for open doors for the word in Middle Tennessee. Pray for congregations to clearly proclaim Christ. Pray for children and youth ministries, and other organizations dedicated to reaching young people, to have godly adults who will present the gospel in truth. Pray for Christians to find new ways to take the word of Christ to places and people outside the church. Pray for churches to teach the word and disciple more Christians who will go with the word into the world.
The world needs the word of Christ. Other needs are real and should not be ignored. But no one other than the church of Jesus Christ has the word and the burden to carry it to the world. We must pray for doors to open for the word all around us and then walk through them. Make that your prayer for Grace Community Church this weekend.
-Scott