| I’ve written
numerous times about problems and possibilities in prayer and praying.
(For some thoughts and some prayers you might check out “Thursday
Night Prayers” on our web page - http://www.moment-ministries.peak.org) |
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| Prior to my
own treatment in January I received almost 150 assurances reminding me
that I was in thoughts and prayers. I thought of these as “angels watching
over me.” |
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| This summer
we have been privileged to serve two families as go-betweens during times
of extreme health crisis. Jean made almost daily reports to a score of
people to give reports from the intensive care unit that the family did
not have time to handle. The patient was (and is at this moment) sedated
and not even communicating with his family. In virtually every case the
people on her calling list said, “Tell the family that Roland is in our
thoughts and prayers.” |
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| When my good
friend, Ken Salter, was afflicted with the Guillian-Barre syndrome, I set
up an e-mail connection with many of his friends for whom I had addresses
and passed on a daily report. As with our other friend, the family appreciates
not having to deal with each concerned friend one at a time, especially
when doing stand-by duty in the hospital room or waiting area. The hospitals
are also glad not to be over-run with calls. And in Ken’s case, he could
not lift the phone even if he wanted to. So, my part of the situation was
to be a go between. |
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| Again, as with
Jean’s list, virtually everyone wanted Ken and family to know that he and
they were in their thoughts and prayers. |
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| There is nothing
new or surprising about this response. It is the most common thing to do
and say. Believers or not, when a crisis occurs in which everything is
outside our hands, we pray. |
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| We happen to
know most of the people on both of our contact lists. There are very few
that you would consider “religious.” Only a few go to church. There are
some on the list who simply do not believe in God. Some are agnostics.
Some have a remnant faith tracing to childhood connections, mostly abandoned.
Yet, in crunch time, they all pray. |
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| We don’t ask
where the prayers are directed. We don’t ask whether this presumes a divine
dispenser of special favors. We don’t ask how or whether it works. We simply
pray with some hope that it makes a difference. |
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| And, indeed,
there is evidence enough that being prayed for can improved healing processes.
We thank God when it is so, but when you think about it, the whole system
seems to work as well with or without a conviction that God is involved. |
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| So it is that
you can pray whether you are religious or not. It is healthy to pray out
your concerns and hopes and needs. One does not need to ask God or Jesus
or Allah or Buddha or anyone in particular. Any or none of the above works
as well as another (don’t tell that to the Christians). One of the things
people learned from Jesus was that there are some things already in the
world—amazing grace—like healing and forgiveness, for instance, that are
there for the claiming. “Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall
find; knock and the door will be opened.” |
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| One lady told
me that she didn’t believe in prayer, “but I believe in praying.” Praying
is the human way of logging on to the invisible internet that works in
ways we do not know. Yes, go ahead and pray. Don’t let left-brained questions
get in your way. And don’t presume to overlay your belief in praying with
speculation about God’s involvement. As the spiritual says, “Every time
I feel the Spirit, moving in my heart, I will pray.” When the spirit stirs
you with a desire to pray, well, to hell with whether you have faith or
belief or understanding, or anything else. Go ahead and pray, for God’s
sake. I can tell you that people deeply appreciate it. |
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— Art Morgan, August 2001
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