“We’ll pray for you”…. “We will keep you in our prayers”
Seems a meager token in the presence of such loss.
In the face of Covid-19 do prayers get through?
Seems more a roll of the dice… a lucky toss…
where some will win and some will lose.
The winners say their prayers got through;
Losers leave the faithful wondering why?
The scriptures say, “If you will humble yourself
and pray, I will hear …and heal your land.”
Is the key in the humbling more than the praying?
Pray for peace… become a peaceful citizen
We will pray for you… I will be there for you
So sorry for you loss… what can I do to help
Prayer is not answers, it is a reshaping of our minds
Today, Frank Hubney at d’Verse asked us to write a fourteen line poem of our choice. Since today is the National Day of Prayer, I decided to take a look at prayer and what it means in my understanding. You are welcome to agree or disagree. Come join us at: https//dversepoets.com
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Roth Poetry 
I believe that praying for another is an honor………but what God does with it is a whole other story! 🙂
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I agree! Thank You for sharing!
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🙂 may your day bring you smiles.
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In my metaphysical studies, I found that verbalization of thoughts and wishes breathes life and volition into the thoughts and wishes, so whether a mantra or prayer or declaration, it must be launched to be effective.
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Very good! Words have power and meaning when expressed to others!
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I was going to say something similar to Glenn. No matter your spiritual beliefs, giving a voice to healing and grace is a powerful thing. It’s the process that gives it power. (K)
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I agree! I was not trying to minimize our words, I was trying to put flesh on them! Actions sometimes are more healing than what we say!
Thank you for your thoughts.
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You are right. Action is needed to support the words.
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Good observation: “Is the key in the humbling more than the praying?” Also good observation at the end about prayer being a “reshaping of our minds”. There’s activity involved in it.
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Yes, Prayer is more than just saying words! Thank you Frank!
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Prayer is not easy. Let me share a quote that I love. Sometimes, words aren’t even necessary.
“He prayed as he breathed, forming no words and making no specific request, only holding in his heart, like broken birds in cupped hands, all those people who were in stress or grief.”
Madelyn L’Engle in Two-Part Invention (quoting Ellis Peters’ A Morbid Taste for Bones).
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That is a beautiful quote! Breathing a prayer is good for the soul!
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I believe in the power of prayer. I also believe the answer is not always what we expect. Sending healing and loving thoughts into the ethernet cannot do harm!
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You are right, it does no harm. I believe it must move beyond words into action.
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Thank you for your response!
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“Prayer is not answers, it is a reshaping of our minds.”
~ Love this description of prayer.
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Thank you so much for your comment Rosaliene! Moving from and entitlement to a servant willing to be the hands and feet of God!
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kaykuala
Prayer is not answers,
it is a reshaping of our minds
Very meaningful last line, Dwight! and very true! It may be fulfilled or not but the act of prayers would allay the fears and anxiety!
Hank
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Thank you Hank! I think prayer should be a personal thing that leads to an action if possible. It is nice to say comforting words, but it is better to be there and sit with that person in their time of grief!
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“Prayer is not answers, it is a reshaping of our minds”
That is awesome.
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Thank you so much Shawna!!
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
WE WILL BE—AT LEAST IN SPIRIT!
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I agree with Glenn and Kerfe about verbalising thoughts, hopes and fears. It doesn’t matter what we believe in, giving voice is liberating – it’s what we poets do all the time. I love the quotation that Debi shared.
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Thank you Kim! Yes it is important to say what we feel!
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a very thoughtful and heartfelt reflection …
I think of prayers as “worthy wishes” and we all need those!
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Thank you Kate! Wishes accompanied by your actions!
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I have never thought of prayer as a magical formula or enchantment to bring certain events into being. Prayer for me is to think more deeply and bring me closer to the subject of my prayer. In one prayer group I attended, back in the day, we would place our names in a bowl at the end of a session and we would each draw a name, to pray for that person till the next meeting. I found at the next meeting I had a greater affinity for the person I had been praying for and greeted that person with a new spontaneity and love. Your poetry is always so insightful Dwight.
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Thank you for your wonderful response. You describe what I was trying to say in my poem. It should draw us to others and create a greater compassion as a result!
Thanks you so much for your kind words!
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How would one know if a prayer is heard if it is not spoken? I think it best to offer up prayers not just for ourselves but, for others. A family member works in a nursing home where covid is causing havic. She herself is at high risk. She began showing symptoms and we prayed for a positive outcome. Her test came back negative. We all wonder, how could that be when 2/3 of the residents and staff had fallen ill? But, in my heart I think the prayers were heard.
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Faith is a wonderful thing! Yes, it is good to pray and express yourself to God. I am very glad to hear your family member is doing well in the midst of the pandamic!
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Thoughts and prayers have gone so far to be a platitude that I often think it’s not sincere… but if you have the faith you should pray…
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Yes, I tend to agree! Thank you.
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Prayer changes things. Mostly prayer changes YOU. When you lift your prayers to God, you are uplifted. The fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much.
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Yes, I believe this is exactly what happens. It is encouraging to others at times, but mostly it is the reshaping of your thinking!
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