Prayer Conforms Our Hearts to God

In our first reading today, Abraham shows us the power of intercessory prayer. Specifically, his nephew Lot has gotten himself into trouble living in the Las Vegas of the biblical world, the city of Sodom. Through the prayer of Abraham, Lot and his family are saved. That’s good news for all of us who know some family members that could using a little saving.

God really does hear our prayers. Yet, while it’s somewhat poetic to think of us changing God’s mind as a result of our prayer, the deeper reality is that prayer changes us. Jesus has an intimacy with his father in prayer that makes the disciples jealous. The ultimate fruit of prayer is not that our prayers change the world or even God, but that we grow in intimacy with God. It’s our hearts that change to become more like God. What better answer to prayer could there be?