Can Prayer Make a Difference?

The tornado that struck Tuscaloosa, Alabama earlier this week left a wreckage in its wake. As I watched videos of the tornado's devastation, I was left thinking about the people that were killed and those who survived. The death toll from the twister has risen to 318. This picture's caption caught my attention, "pray for us."

Yesterday in class, we discussed the effect of prayer on psychological health. From our discussion, it became apparent that conflicting research existed on the effects of personal prayer and intercessory prayer. Some studies report the benefits of prayer while others show no effect. So, where does this leave us?

I turn back to the Bible's accounts of how prayer did change things and how prayer did effect healing. From the old testament accounts of Abraham to the New Testament accounts of Revelation, the effects of prayer. James 5 specifically addresses the power of prayer. Yet, there still remains a mystery to prayer and whether God answers it in a way that is easily understandable. Yet, Jesus himself prayed and commanded us, as followers to pray.

In response to such devastation that occurred earlier this week and continues to occur across the world, I suggest we not only help whenever possible but also to pray.