Emphasis Preaching Journal

My senior citizen neighbor, who had become a very good friend, once confided in me that she was an agnostic. I was a young curate just learning the ropes in a large downtown city church and we had developed a close friendship. She was to enter the hospital one morning for a mild surgical procedure. On the eve of the operation, as I came to the end of my visit with her, I told her that I would be praying for her. Her comment was, "Thank you, dear, but I am afraid that prayer is just wishful thinking." My reply was, "Perhaps.