Daily Readings and Thought for June 10th. “THE PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS PERSON HAS GREAT POWER”

Daily Readings: Judges 7,8, Isaiah 34, James 5

James tells us to “pray for one another´[5 v.16] – adding the powerful and challenging words, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” But how many then and how many now – can be called “a righteous person.”?

Our thoughts go to Hebrews 11 that we read last week! “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark … “ [v.7]  Let us meditate on the “reverent fear” of Noah as he constructed the ark – as he was told!  Everyone around would think how foolish he and his sons were! In God’s sight, Noah was “a righteous person” –how prayerfully he would have undertaken his God-given task.

Our first reading in Judges ch. 7 today illustrates the faith Gideon was challenged to have – to take just 300 men (7 v.7) to defeat the Midianites!

Gideon is included in the list in Hebrews 11 of those who “through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises … were made strong out of weakness … so that they might rise again to a better life.”[v.33,35]

Back in James we recall how James asked the question, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?”[2 v.14] James then makes the vital point, “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” [v.17]

So, may each of us, live by faith – demonstrating its’ reality by what we do – each day – and how we pray, for “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”  As our world starts to – more than ever – fall apart – let us, in particular, “pray for one another.”