Protests & Prayers: God’s Word on InjusticeSýnishorn

DAY ONE: PROTEST + PRAY

There’s no question that our world is full of brokenness, pain, and injustice. Some Christians might tell you that we need to pray more, that prayer is our best weapon against evil in the world, and that causing disruption by protesting isn’t a good witness. Some Christians might tell you that we need to be out in the streets, speaking truth to power, calling for evil to be made accountable, and that “just praying” is a cop out.

But in God’s word, all over scripture in fact, we see that living as a faithful Christian in a broken world is more complicated than an "either/or." Often, God is calling us to multifaceted responses to the evil in our world—responses that include prayer, witnessing, and protesting, among many other things.

In these passages we see that it is right and good for us to ask God to be our defender, to ask God to correct injustice (Psalm 43). And we also see that God wants us to speak up for the oppressed, to spend our lives on behalf of the hurting (Proverbs and Isaiah). We see that God called Isaiah to “shout it out” when God’s people were exploiting and oppressing others. 

It’s far too simplistic to say there is only one right response to evil and brokenness in our world. When we pray that God’s kingdom would “come on earth as it is in heaven,” we need to remember that God has called us to also participate in bringing that vision to life. We pray, and we protest. 

Reflection Questions:

Throughout this study we will look at the different ways that God is calling us to a both/and approach, instead of an either/or.  Do you struggle to embrace seemingly opposite ideas? What other places in scripture can you think of where God calls us to a multifaceted approach to life, to more than one way of honoring him? 

Do your prayers reflect a call for God to bring justice? Do you also speak up against injustice outwardly in your life? Do you tend to gravitate towards one or the other, and why do you think that happens? 

Isaiah calls us to “spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry.” Is your life oriented around spending your time, energy, effort, and resources more on yourself than on the people God has put before you to serve? What is your first step to take in re-orienting your life around serving others?