Since this is a thread about 'Prayer' I thought it might be interesting to examine just what prayer is. Bear with me.
One definition, and this one seems adequate, is as follows:
Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity (a god), or a deified ancestor. (From Wikipedia)
So by that definition, and by most of what Ive witnessed of 'prayers' they are supplications to a deity to affect the outcome of a situation. Asking God to do something, heal the sick, save someone in trouble, etc. However, if one accepts that said Deity is all knowing, all powerful, and has it all in the palm of their hand, then they already have a (perfect) plan and for us to ask them to alter it is folly...asking God to alter Its perfect will. DOH!
Where does that leave us? Right square in the fact that Christ gave us power do do all those things. not for us to sit around and ask a Deity to do it. So when I offer a prayer for healing, or what have you, instead of asking God to heal someone, I envision them a whole and send the command that "You are made whole." Im not asking, Im commanding the power (of perfect Love) given to me, as Christ commanded us to. Perhaps see it as 'directed thought'.