x:  What a terrible thing to have lost loved ones in that hurricane.

y:  Sure is.

x:  I send all of them my thoughts.

y:  You do?

x:  Yes.

y:  What will that do?

x:  Huh?

y:  Sending them your thoughts – what exactly does that mean and what does it do?

x:  My positive thoughts. I send them to these poor people.

y:  Do you believe your thoughts will get to them, and that they’ll help? Just curious.

x:  I don’t know! Why are you asking me this?

y:  I’m genuinely interested in what you mean by this. In the midst of a tragedy many say, “I send my prayers,” and others say, “You’re in my thoughts and prayers;” and still others like yourself just say, “I send my thoughts.” Do you believe you have the power to ‘send’ thoughts and have them affect people?

x:  Well…I don’t know. I guess maybe it’s just a figure of speech.

y:  Meaning what?

x:  Meaning that I’m thinking of them and sympathizing.

y:  Then why not just say that? Instead, you say you’re ‘sending’ your thoughts.

x:  Well, now that you force me to think about it, I guess I just want to parallel the nice thing religious people say when they promise to send their prayers.

y:  But prayer is supernatural, not just a human power. God is invoked for the sake of those suffering. But I cannot throw a positive thought at someone 1200 miles away by my own power and have it affect them. Can I? That sounds a little like magic.

x:  I don’t believe in magic.

y:  I know. That’s why I’m questioning you. It’s inconsistent with how you think.

x:  But isn’t prayer an attempt at magic too?

y:  Not at all. Magic portends that human power can alter the forces of nature at will. Prayer, on the other hand, invokes God for supernatural help. While it assumes faith in the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, prayer does not pretend that we are gods with special superhuman powers.

x:  You’re right. Maybe I should just say to them, “I’m thinking of you.” But not being religious makes me feel so powerless in situations like these. Nevertheless, I realize it’s better to be honest with your verbiage than to speak nonsensically.

y:  No question. Your selfless respect for truth makes me think you will eventually be sending your prayers. After all, the infinite perfection and Source of truth is the one who answers prayer, Truth Himself (Jn 14:6).