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A poll released today found 77 percent of voters believe prayers can help someone heal from an injury or illness. That is a very comforting statement. We hear so much negativity about religion today but it appears that most of us realize the value of having a relationship with God. Talking with our Father through prayer is one of the most basic things that we can do as Christians. It is something that most of us learn very early through the example of our parents. It is usually an immediate reaction when something bad happens. As we approach the 10th anniversary of the terror attack of September 11th, I am reminded of how people came together in prayer. It was a reflex to help us deal with the unknown. It was part of who we are as a people and we lean on our prayer life in times of distress. What I have been trying to do lately is to make it more of my regular life. Being in a loving relationship with God is very important to me. One of the ways we maintain our relationships is through conversation. So talking with God in a conversational way should be a natural occurrence to anyone who is looking to solidify their relationship with God. There has also been research that documents the benefit of prayer in healing situations. Scientists have documented that patients who pray and truly believe that God will heal them, generally recover a lot sooner. It makes perfect sense. Our Lord asks us to lean on Him for everything and to trust Him. Doing what He asks would obviously produce the results He promises. Mark 11:24 says, "Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours." 1 John 3:21-22 says "Beloved, if [our] hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him." The Bible is our road map and God is telling us that we should ask for help through prayer. The recent poll is comforting but it also points out that we have work to do. Twenty percent of the folks who responded to that survey said they did not believe that prayer helps. We must continue to carry the message of Jesus Christ to everyone so that they too can enjoy a loving relationship with Him.

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