The Practical Power of Public Prayer

by Rev. Dwight Longenecker
2/16/09

I had just boarded the late afternoon train from Paddington Station headed west to Bristol. Commuters were jostling for places, bags were being stashed, and those of us who managed to find seats were settling down with a book or a sandwich for the journey, when suddenly a voice came over the intercom. It was a sweet-sounding, melodious accent of an Indian man. "Welcome," he said, "to the InterCity 125 service from London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads. This is your train operator speaking."

No one paid much attention; every journey from Paddington begins with the courteous reminder of which train you're on, and how long the journey would take. But then the driver continued: "As we begin our journey together, I would like to ask all of you to bow your heads with me and join in a word of prayer." There followed a very nice extemporaneous prayer by a man who was clearly a sincere and joyful born-again Christian.

My fellow travelers were bemused, befuddled, aghast, and amused. It got conversation going among the normally reticent Englishmen, and the atmosphere in the carriage lifted for a few moments from the usual weary commuter boredom. It was as if a bird had entered the room where a party was taking place -- everyone is delighted, but no one is quite sure what to do about it. the rest