COP OUT "This plan of Mine is not what you would work out, neither are My thoughts the same as yours. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than yours, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts”. Isaiah 55:8-9 There is a contemporary expression which represents a not so subtle ideology. When someone needs physical healing or other support, I hear people saying “we’ll be thinking of you” or “we’ll be sending good thoughts your way”. In other words, instead of prayer they get thoughts. Talk about the world’s cop out. Many Christians have been listening to the noise of the world far too long, using the world's terms, not God's, and negating the power which could have been available to them. We have become a generation which will sidestep anything to avoid an awkward moment. Prayer changes things! Thoughts don’t. Prayer is calling down God’s miracle power on this earth, calling into being things which were not, putting the miracle producing, life altering power of Christ in charge. Our thoughts compared to God’s aren’t good enough to get to first base. Where’s the healing power in thoughts? I'm not talking about a silent prayer, a petition pled to God in one's mind, but neither are those supposedly sending the "thoughts". They're dismissing the power of God, bowing to a lesser god incapable of healing anything, nor intending to. When someone just says they’ll be “thinking” of you, what they're saying is they’re afraid or unable to commit, indicating that they don’t belong to Christ and have no life line to extend to the one in need. And if they do belong to Christ? Sadly, the majority of Christians operate their prayer lives at the most shallow level and never move beyond the self-centered stage. Their capability of being instruments of healing as God intended has been reduced to casual thoughts, neither utilizing that which God freely offers, nor obeying Jesus' command to use His name in victory. If you’ve acquired the habit of telling people you’ll be sending thoughts – you need to stop it. It’s a dangerous trap for a Christian to fall into because it doesn’t set you apart. There’s nothing compelling or comforting offered to the person in need. And worse, telling someone you’re going to pray for them and then neglect to do it. You’re not going to want to answer for that one when you stand before Jesus. Address the person as one who cares, for you are a representative of the King of Kings. If you are able, gently quote a powerful life-changing Scripture verse and sincerely tell them that you will pray for them. Then do it - if possible do it there and then on the spot. This should not embarrass you. You are the enlightened one after all. Later, the first chance you can get alone with God, intercede for them. Many are those who cannot access the power of God, yet in contrast we will be the light in their darkness, delivering to them life changing words of hope and healing. |
