Texts: Philippians 1:1-18; 1 Corinthians 13:1-8; Jeremiah 17:9; Colossians 1:1-12; 1 Peter 1:4; Psalms 119:105; Isaiah 30:21

The disciplines of faith and science rarely intersect, but one area that intersects both is the power and effectiveness of prayer.

People of faith often rely on personal experience to assess the value of prayer. The National Institutes of Health, using scientific analyses, also evaluated prayer, especially as it relates to health and well-being.

They initially discovered that prayer has many of the same health benefits for the supplicant as other forms of meditation: lower blood pressure, reduced heart rate, balanced melatonin and serotonin levels, increased immune response, reduced anxiety, enhanced self-esteem, improved quality of life in late-stage disease, and increased tolerance for pain. Interestingly, they discovered that spiritual meditation was more effective than secular meditation.

One of their main topics of interest was the effectiveness of intercessory prayer. Researchers conducted a triple-blind study of infertile women in South Korea who underwent invitro fertilization treatments. These women—and their health providers—didn’t know that prayer groups in the United States, Canada and Australia prayed for some of them. Researchers discovered that the subjects who received prayer support experienced “nearly twice as high a pregnancy rate as those who had not been prayed for.”

Another study examined the effects of intercessory prayer for wounded primates. They discovered that “the prayer group animals had a greater reduction in wound size and a greater improvement in hematological parameters than the control animals. This study is important because it was conducted in a nonhuman species; therefore, the likelihood of a placebo effect was removed.”

Curiously, though, another group of researchers found that intercessory prayer did not benefit patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery. In fact, some who knew they were subjects of prayer experienced worse post-surgery complications. These researchers concluded that intercessory prayer offers no benefits.

People of faith can look at these results and conclude that there is another element to the effectiveness of intercessory prayer that science cannot evaluate: the will of God. Prayer is neither a magic incantation, nor a scientific formula to achieve desired results. It’s a natural communication between the divine, all-powerful Creator and the created beings that God loves supremely.

Paul expresses that human-divine relationship in the opening statements of his letters to the churches. These letters are three-way communications between Paul, the churches he writes to, and the God who connects them all together. Paul may have some hard truths to reveal in some of his letters, but he helps the recipients in Philippi and Colossae receive those messages by laying this three-way relational foundation, based on his appreciation and prayers for them.

Paul is grateful both for them and for God. He’s thankful that these followers of The Way support him and share a common experience. He’s thankful that God increases their faith and helps them live righteous lives. And he’s thankful that, through the power of the gospel and God’s leading, these churches continue to grow and share their faith.

Although Paul certainly cares for their physical well-being, he doesn’t address their temporal needs or desires. He focuses rather on their spiritual and relational health: their love for others, their knowledge and spiritual wisdom, their discernment, purity, and the fruit of righteousness that comes from Jesus (Philippians 1:9-11). And he gives glory and praise to God for answering his prayers for them.

These messages demonstrate that Paul believes in the power and effectiveness of prayer, based on his own personal experiences and divine revelation (in Acts 9:10-12, God directly answers Paul’s prayers with a vision).

Whatever the scientific evidence shows, there is no question that prayer is powerful, effective, and answered according to God’s will.

 

For Reflection

 

Connecting: Take a few minutes in your study group to express thankfulness for each other, as Paul did in the opening paragraphs of many of his letters.

Sharing: Even though Paul and his converts prayed regularly, he still ended up in prison (Philippians 1:12-18). This leads to the age-old question: Why do bad things happen to good people?

1. Even though God is omnipotent and could keep Paul out of jail, God allowed Satan a certain amount of freedom to test Paul’s faith
2. Paul didn’t see prison as a bad thing; he recognized it as just another mission field
3. If everything went perfectly in life, we wouldn’t see the need for Christ or long for heaven
4. This is ultimately a false question—no one is good except for Jesus, and Jesus volunteered to be crucified
5. Expressing gratitude even in the worst circumstances can lift our spirits, and prayer really does increase our tolerance for pain
6. Other:

Applying: It seems that the trend these days is to get right to the point of business in letters, emails, and texts. Brevity is valued. Is it possible to include a word of appreciation in an acceptable manner in these communications? What would that look like, or sound like?

Valuing: How do you feel when someone says they are praying for you? Do you appreciate it? Does it make you feel uncomfortable, like there must be something wrong with you that requires prayer? Take time this week to reflect on how you can both express and receive words of affirmation and offers of prayer.

~ Chuck Burkeen