Without Prayer….

People don’t always suffer as the result of their sin (being worse sinners). Sometimes people suffer to bring God glory. Sometimes it’s the result of someone else’s sin. Sometimes we don’t know the reason. Jesus makes this clear here in this passage in Luke chapter 13. When we start flinging answers to someone’s suffering we begin to tread on Holy ground. We must see the situation with spiritual eyes. If they are humble in heart, we extend them grace, to help usher in healing. If they are proud, we can gently share the Good News of repentance. Either way, we need to go before the Father first, so that we can get a clearer picture of how we should respond. Sometimes that means saying nothing, just being there for the sufferer. And sometimes that means telling them the truth, something they might not want to hear. Either way without starting with prayer, we may lead ourselves into disaster by trying to figure it out on our own.

1 About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered?3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem?5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.” Luke 13:1-5