Prayer Works

Weekly Message

Tom Seymour

March 23, 2014

Prayer Works – But Why?

I’ve heard it so many times. People tell me that prayer works. Many doctors even say to pray, because it works. Studies show that prayer works and these studies sometimes measure changes within people’s bodies who pray.

But rarely do we hear a doctor say that prayer works because God hears our prayers. Most doctors are concerned with only the clinical aspects of prayer. Even atheists, observing the data, conclude that prayer works. But they don’t attribute these life-saving results of prayer to the Lord hearing and acting.

In fact, some of the professional people who attest to the power of prayer view our prayers to God as misguided faith that just happens to trigger some kind of inherent healing mechanism in our bodies. We believers are just simple types, clinging to a myth. And while we attribute answer to prayers as a direct gift from God, the professionals attribute it to us accidentally tapping into some physical reaction.

There is only one God, the triune person, the three-in-one who created the universe. And that universe includes us, and our bodies. And when we offer prayers to God, he always hears. But sometimes his answers are not immediately apparent.

On the other hand, sometimes God’s answer to prayer comes so quickly that it is quite frightening. For instance, I’ve been praying for God to bless my work as a foraging teacher. His answer came within hours and was so dead-on that it could only have come from God.

The Lord knows my name. He knows your name, your thoughts, joys, fears and every feeling you possess. God is the almighty and he is almighty. And when we pray, God hears us.

So the next time someone suggests to you that you should pray because prayer works, tell them that you do pray because you know that God hears prayers.

And don’t forget that a prayer without Jesus in it is like a letter without a postage stamp; it isn’t going anywhere.