Prayer Changes Things

The homes of two members of my singing group, the Song Spinners, which were endangered by the Black Forest wildfire in Colorado Springs, have been spared... at least for this time around.  We had our first performance in ten days last night and it was a welcome release of tension, almost cathartic.

But the home of one of the instrumentalists who plays with my choir at Holy Apostles Church was destroyed.

And in California, a dear friend of mine said good-by to her husband, who passed away yesterday morning.

Some live some die.  Some are happy, some are sad.  Were the two Song Spinners' homes saved because we all prayed?  Or maybe because there was so much positive energy "out on the ether"?  Or was it all just chance?

I believe the God of the Universe cares, or people wouldn't care.  I believe prayer changes things, but is it because God is moved by our fervent requests or because the human spirit is upheld by common agreement?

How can we ever know?  And why does it matter?

When we make First Contact with an intelligent race from another star system, maybe we'll get a clue.