Article December 13, 1993 Issue

Prayer—a protection from the horror of calamities

In times of great fear, the calming, saving power of Christ is right there. But we need to turn to it— in understanding prayer.

R. David Robert

My army experience during World War II placed me in the midst of the horrifying killing of soldiers on the Burma war front. Fear of death overshadowed my thinking. Then, shortly after the war, we were sent to Japan as an occupational force, and I observed the shock and horror of a people still recovering from atom bomb blasts. While there, I also experienced an earthquake.

Early one morning we were wakened by cracking sounds and found our building shaking. We ran outside in a state of uncertainty and helplessness. I was again overwhelmed by fear of death. I prayed to God. But there wasn't much spiritual depth to my prayers because of my belief in the power of matter during those days.

All these devastating events raised a serious question in my thinking. Can there be any kind of protection from such tragedies? I was not sure whether prayers for help could reach God. Because I'd had no experience of God's healing power through prayer, the agitating question remained unanswered for a very long period.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

In next week's Sentinel—