Thoughts and Prayers

I play the card game Magic: the Gathering (and enjoy it so much I dedicate a separate blog to it). As I am in various social media groups about it, I see random fan-made cards. Recently, this one caught my eye:

For those unfamiliar with the game, this card is basically saying: "pay any amount of mana [the resources in the game]; it will do another player no good." And the card title gives away the author's point: in his view, saying 'thoughts and prayers' to someone is pointless. There is both a lie and a truth here; I look at each in turn below.

The lie: prayer is ineffective.

The Bible is clear that prayer is effective. Jesus prayed often. He promised it is effective (if given in faith). We see prayers answered in many places (one and another example). We're commanded to do it constantly, for many people (including leaders), about many things, be they physical or spiritual matters, being watchful with thanksgiving, for the ears of the Lord are open to the prayers of the righteous. At the end of days, the prayers of the saints are mentioned as an offering. The Christian is to pray expectantly. It does not guarantee the result we wish, for in our fallen nature, we don't even know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes, and so we can pray with confidence, all while saying "not my will, but yours [God's] be done."

The truth: prayer is insufficient.

Though effective, the Bible is also clear that actions matter. We are to help not only with our prayers but also with our actions: our resources (time, money, etc.), abilities, and so on. Faith without works is dead, and in that passage, James makes it clear:

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

Prayer matters. Actions do, too. Practice both. Constantly.