In the book of Acts we read, “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (16:25). Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown in prison, and had their feet bound in the stocks, and yet they continued to glorify God in songs and prayer. The account doesn’t say that they agonized over their injuries or prayed to be released from prison; instead they sang praises to God. Their gratitude and love for God was unlimited and had a healing effect on them and those around them.
I realized what an effective, powerful prayer this is—to focus not on fixing a problem, but on loving and glorifying God.
In my role as Second Reader for my branch Church of Christ, Scientist, I regularly practice reading aloud the weekly Bible Lesson from the Christian Science Quarterly. One Saturday morning when I awoke and was preparing to practice reading, I felt a swelling in my throat and had difficulty speaking much louder than a whisper. As I read the Lesson quietly, I wondered how I would be able to read at the Sunday service the following day or find a substitute on such late notice.
