Prayer-Filled Action

By: Janene Sparke

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

The country roads tend to be an important part of my sanity and prayer life. With Ethan strapped in the stroller and our dog, Bella, wandering the road and ditches along the way, I like to soak in the sun, feel the breeze in my hair, and use the freedom to clear my mind and spend time in prayer. I usually start with thankfulness and then turn to praying for family members and close friends. However, my mind is frequently interrupted with a seemingly “random” person. I may have no idea why that person came to mind, maybe I haven’t talked to them in weeks or even months, but for some reason, God brings that person to mind. It’s in that moment, that I have a choice to make: pray or just treat it as a fleeting thought and go back to praying for the regular family and friends on my mind.

As I think about being “for K-18” and seeking to shine our light to the surrounding area, I am drawn to start with prayer. Who is God laying on my heart to reach out to? Who is right in my neighborhood that needs encouragement? Which co-worker is floundering in his/her faith? Who is not currently connected to a church but is open to the idea of being a part of a loving community? As we all think about our sphere of influence, I trust that God will bring to mind several people or families. Thayne encouraged us to pick 4 that we will be FOR over the next year. 

However, we can’t stop there. Prayer is powerful, but that’s not where our job ends. Our responsibility is to act upon those prayers and continue to seek God with what to do with that person/family that He has brought to our mind. After all, Micah 6:8 tells us what the Lord requires of us… “To act justly and to love mercy and walk humbly with your God.” 

Tip for today: Stand up for justice for one person today & show mercy to one person today.

Janene Sparke is married to Thayne, the lead pastor at Codell Community Church. Their son, Ethan, is 1 ½ years old. She is also a part-time 4^th grade teacher at Natoma Elementary.