FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK: The wonderful power of prayer

Award-winning TV and radio host Larry King, with Rabbi Irwin Katsof, wrote “Powerful Prayers: Conversations on Faith, Hope, and the Human Spirit with Today’s Most Provocative People” in November 1999. King’s book examined the lives that were suddenly and permanently altered through prayer, and lives that are sustained by its everyday practice.

I never read his book as I have always believed in the power of prayer, but I was happy to see that such an influential person took the time to draw attention to how powerful prayer is in a person’s life.

I recently came through three weeks of Covid-19 (most likely the Delta variant). I know I came through this ordeal because of the prayers of many people. Prayer, I believe, has no boundaries as to denomination or religious creed. Three different church groups, Jewish friends and a Chabad rabbi (thank you Rabbi Yanky Majesky) were praying for me. I clung to their words and their faith because at times I had no faith, only misery.

Throughout my sickness I never lost a good oxygen level (usually between 94 to 98), even though I was diagnosed with Covid pneumonia. Never needed oxygen, much to the surprise of some doctors. Never had a high fever. I firmly believe it was because of prayer.

I also believe in the power of the Scriptures. There are three verses in the Tanakh that I repeated over and over.

Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths smooth. Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be a cure for your body and tonic for your bones.”

Having read so much over the past year about Covid, there was much confusion in my mind. This verse made me put aside all that I thought I knew about Covid and just trust in God and His word.

Isaiah 40:31, “Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall grow wings like eagles; they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not grow faint.”

Three weeks is a long time to be sick with any ailment (I am counting from the day I tested positive to the day I had the Negative PCR results). I grew impatient, which also caused me to lose faith. I also experienced a lot of worry over every new symptom I developed. One dear friend prayed that I would no longer have any fear concerning any symptoms. Later that evening, I realized I was not afraid of any symptoms I felt. The fear was gone.

The third verse came in the third week of Covid. It accompanied an article about a man who was dying of West Nile virus (a very deadly virus).

Psalm 107:20 “He sent his word to heal them and bring them alive out of the pit of death.”

It reaffirmed to me that God had heard all the prayers and that He would not withhold any good thing from any of us.

During my illness, four friends, who were fully vaccinated, tested positive for Covid — ages 36, 46, 62 and 70-something. Three were hospitalized (the 70-something for 10 days and he refused the ventilator) and one of them, like me, has lingering side effects still going on (it does take a while to completely recover even when there are no more spiky little pests still inside). I say this not to scare anyone, but to acknowledge that none of us are completely immune to this insidious virus. Trust in God and His word and the prayer of faithful people does work.