The Power of Prayer

By David Bragg

    There is a legend of a prince with a crooked back. He was so ashamed of his appearance that he refused to go out in public. One day he hired a skillful sculptor to make a statue of him, but with a straight back so he could see himself as he might have been. He ordered that the completed statue be placed in a secret nook of the palace garden where only he could see it.
    Every day the prince spent hours looking at the statue. Months later people began to say, "The prince's back seems straighter than it was," or, "The prince seems much more noble looking these days."
    Hearing this, the Prince went again into the garden and stood before the statue and behold, his back became as straight as the statue's.
    We can be somewhat like that prince, especially when we develop the habit of daily Bible study and prayer. Growing in our knowledge of God's word, and living it, will point us in the right direction. Growing in devotion and prayer will transform us spiritually. Our circumstances may not change, but we will be strengthened to glorify God in those circumstances. So, stand tall and noble, child of God!

- David Bragg serves as one of the ministers at the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC and is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.nwchurchofchrist.com/ or his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/