Read:
Jeremiah 29:12-13

During times of uncertainty and anxiousness, we often look to God and ask for his help and guidance. Jeremiah 29:12-13 says, “Then you will call upon me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

With the pandemic, riots, unrest, and protests that have occurred over the past several months, our anxiety could be at an all-time high. I have heard multiple people say, “Our faith in God will pull us through.”

But, is faithfully praying enough? We may be praying with all our hearts for a solution to our current problems but James 2:14 says “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?”  James continues in 2:17 by saying “Faith by itself, if not accompanied by actions, is dead.”

Some may interpret these two passages as a way of saying “God helps those that help themselves.” But to me it goes deeper than that. It is a way of asking for God’s grace while we perform righteous acts for him. As I reflect on the words of Jeremiah, the wisdom of James, and the unrest in the world, I have a basic question for all believers: 

Question:
What concrete actions will you take as you accept God’s love and mercy through these times? 

Charles Henderson
Finance Director