After the San Bernardino mass shooting in December 2015, the New York Daily News’ front page read, “God Isn’t Fixing This,” surrounded by cropped tweets of politicians sending their thoughts and prayers.

The following Sunday, was the first Sunday of Advent, which typically is tied to the theme of peace.

I opened my sermon on that Sunday by reading the controversial headline.

Many just chalked it up to the liberal media just doing what they do, going all in on shock value, and mocking the Christian faith.

We are all stunned, horrified, and grieving over the brutal murder of 19 children and their 2 teachers in Uvalde, TX on Tuesday, May 24th.

It is unbearable to think about. I don’t know how the families of these individuals are making it through each day. This morning it was reported that the husband of Irma Garcia, one of teachers who was killed, died from a heart attack, leaving their 4 children without parents.

Pure heartache.

It wasn’t just human life that was taken on Tuesday in Uvalde. The innocence and sense of felt safety was stripped away in the most inhumane way imaginable.

Our hearts go out to the students who lived to tell the story of seeing their teachers and friends shot beyond all recognition. They will never be the same.

There is NOTHING to say after tragedies like this, at least in the immediate aftermath.

Tears, lament, screaming, shouting. All of these are “thoughts and prayers.”

“The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (Rom. 8:26)

We don’t need to rush to explanations, or making sense of tragedies for ourselves or our children. It is enough to weep together, and to be close to one another. That is where we find God. God is not far off, waiting us to figure out why bad things happen. We find what we need in the presence of the Holy Spirit who is called the Comforter.

The Karre tribe in central Africa have a word for the Holy Spirit that roughly translates to, “The one who falls down beside us.” For many tribes in Africa, long daily commutes on foot with heavy loads of resources is a way of life. English missionaries noticed that when the gatherers set out on foot, there is usually a couple of travelers who don’t carry anything, so that if, or when one of the others fall under the weight of the load, there is one that can “fall down beside them.”

To take the load from there.

To pick them back up.

Thoughts and prayers have a place and purpose.

I saw prayers for peace and comfort.

Prayers of healing for those in the hospital.

Prayers of lament directly from the Psalms.

“How long, Lord, how long?” (Psalm 6:3)

“Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1)

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Psalm 22:1)

The most popular scripture that is quoted after times of tragedy is 2 Chronicles 7:14…

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Sometimes the commentary following the recitation of this verse suggests that the primary action that heals our land is prayer. I would suggest that we misunderstand the purpose of prayer as the mode by which we get God to do stuff.

It would be wrong of us think that God is sitting idly by, unaffected by what is going on in our world until we pray.

It would be wrong of us to think that all God wants from us is yet one more prayer meeting before deciding to “heal our land.”

The healing of the land doesn’t happen through some kind of unseen magical or mystical force.

It comes from humility and turning from our wicked ways.

Another word for this is repentance.

The Greek word for repentance means to “change your mind.”

In prayer, we are not waiting for God change his mind about healing our land. In prayer, we are asking God to change our minds so that we would join him in what he is already doing to heal this world.

I love this quote from Oswald Chambers, “To say that ‘prayer changes things’ is not as close to the truth as saying, ‘prayer changes me and then I change things.’”

There is nothing wrong with thoughts and prayers.

But if thoughts and prayers don’t affect us, if thoughts and prayers don’t change us, the healing that we are waiting for will always be out of reach.

God’s healing of this world comes as he partners with humans who choose to live in the way of peace, humility, forgiveness, selflessness, hospitality, generosity, and love.

When we pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,” we remember that God’s will is done through those who submit him as Lord.

Repentance is not just words. Repentance is action. Repentance is lived. Repentance calls for us to fix what we have broken, as much as we are able, and then trust that God’s grace will be enough to do the rest.

It is true that God isn’t fixing this…without us.

Thoughts and prayers are covered in flesh. We are the body of Christ on earth. We are his hands and feet.

You (we) are the salt of the earth. You (we) are the light of the world. (Mt. 5:13-14)

The Old Testament prophets were consistent in their message. God isn’t looking for lip service. God does not want religious show or prayers unattached from obedience. We have a part to play in the healing of the world.

“I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
your assemblies are a stench to me.
Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.
Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!

(Amos 5:21-24)

Look at what Isaiah says about what proceeds the rebuilding, repairing, and restoring…

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always;
    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
    and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
    Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

(Isaiah 58:6-12)

“You will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”

You. Me. Us. In partnership with God.

The ancient monastic community had this saying: ora et labora.

It means, pray and work.

I believe God meets us at the intersection of prayer and work.

This is how we fix this.

Grace & Peace, Beloved

Ben