One of the things I find so miraculous about Christian discipleship is that the power of prayer becomes more real and more obvious the longer I follow the way of Christ. After more than 40 years a baptized Christian, it still never ceases to amaze me the way that God uses prayer to help, support, comfort, protect, and – yes, even influence – the lives of humans.
We are geared towards material, tangible solutions to problems – understandably! They can feel more satisfying, can be tracked and monitored, and checked off a list. It is often only when we have run out of these kinds of solutions do we ‘resort’ to prayer. I’m sure we’ve all heard someone say, “Oh well, I guess all that’s left to do is to pray.”
Yet, I can testify to the daily and deeply impactful power of prayer in my own life, and in the lives of others. I know you all pray for me regularly, because I can feel it surrounding me and supporting me. And I know my own prayers for all of you are being answered daily by the evidence of God working in and through you, in your lives and in the lives of those you love and pray for.
That’s not to say we shouldn’t also support one another in material ways – everyone needs a listening ear, a shared meal with a friend, a helping hand from time to time. And we should feel confident asking for help too, when we need it. After all, that is partly why God gives us community.
But also, never underestimate the power of prayer. In addition to being the primary way we enter intentionally into the presence of God, prayer impacts the fabric of the world, heals lives broken by sin, and transforms our minds and hearts ever more into the image of Christ.
Mother Amanda