In my article, Thinking Aloud for November, I offered our churches as places of prayer for our community, and also asked you to pray for your church. But this begs the question of what on earth prayer is, and what we think we are doing when we pray.

It can be easier to say first what prayer is not. Prayer is not telling God things that might have escaped his notice - God already knows. Prayer is not asking God to suspend or reverse the laws of nature. Prayer does not mean that those most prayed for have a better chance of recovery than those not - for if we believe that, we believe that God has favourites. Prayer does not change God's mind.

Hmm .. so it's a real waste of time, then? No - because although we're not telling God anything new, we are bringing before him people and situations that deeply concern us. We are sharing with God our deepest hopes and fears because God is our best friend and, in any real relationship, we share what's going on in our lives. No - because although we're not asking God to change the laws of nature, it seems to me that the quantum nature of the universe means that God may have the opportunity to touch and influence his world directly. No - because although prayer does not 'change God's mind' it can change us. One of the great saints - Teresa of Avila - said that 'to be in the presence of God in prayer is to be changed'. For reasons beyond our understanding, God has chosen to do most of his work in the world through us - we are his hands, his feet, his eyes in this world. To pray is often to be called to action. To pray is often to have our own mindset and our own understanding changed.

So, as we pray (without ever hoping to see it in our own lifetimes) for world peace, we invite God into our lives to make us more peaceable, tolerant, understanding people. As we pray for someone we love to be healed, we connect ourselves with them in love, give them our mental and spiritual support, ask that we might all know God's presence with us in our struggle. As we pray for spiritual strength to live our lives, God will most surely give it to us.