How to pray for your community
The upper part of The Transfiguration (1520) by Raphael, depicting Christ miraculously discoursing with Moses and Elijah. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
James 5:13–20
As a community of humble servants, what do we do when we suffer or when we’re cheerful? We turn to our Master. When we’re sick, we take our weaknesses together to the only one who can heal us. When we recognize our sins, we take them to the Lord too, together in humble reliance on Christ our Redeemer. There is no room for pride among us. None of us is better or more favored than the rest of us. We are brothers and sisters of Christ, equals bound in faith to our Father in heaven.
Questions
- Do you consider yourself an equal with everyone in your community?
- Do you consider your faith a gift from God or something you’ve earned yourself?
- Are you someone to whom others can confess their sins without fear of gossip? Is your small group or community a safe place for revealing sins and weaknesses?
- How would you say you have changed over the course of studying James?
Pray
Father, by your grace you have made us your people. In your mercy you have loved us. Allow us to know the strength of Christ’s love in us and be filled with the fullness of God. If we are filled with you, then we will have no pride or selfish ambition. Give us this life. Let us see in our daily lives the righteousness we have in Christ so that when we pray, we will see your great power. You are the one to whom we owe everything. Praise be to your name.
Father, by your grace you have made us your people. In your mercy you have loved us. Allow us to know the strength of Christ’s love in us and be filled with the fullness of God. If we are filled with you, then we will have no pride or selfish ambition. Give us this life. Let us see in our daily lives the righteousness we have in Christ so that when we pray, we will see your great power. You are the one to whom we owe everything. Praise be to your name.