It was your Lord who put an end to longwindedness, so that you would not pray as if you wanted to teach God by your many words. Piety, not verbosity, is in order when you pray, since He knows your needs. -Augustine
Ah, Augustine. Once again hitting the nail on the head.
Having fellowshipped in a wide variety of Christian traditions I have seen a number of modes of prayer. Nothing like my wife's experience in the Advent Christian tradition, however. The oldsters in that church had a prayer voice; a special voice and vocabulary and intonation just for prayer.
Knowing that God knows my deepest thoughts and needs, however, can (and often does)draw me away from the discipline of prayer.
“O Lord our Savior, You have warned us that You will require much of those to whom much is given. Grant that we, whose lot is cast in so godly a heritage, may strive together the more abundantly to extend to others what we so richly enjoy, and as we have entered into the labors of others, so to labor that others may enter into ours, to the fulfillment of Your holy will, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
A far better prayer than the one he is notoriously known for, “O Lord, give me chastity, but not yet.”
This extensive and complicated topic has a very simple and uncomplicated definition. Prayer is simply the elect’s way of communicating with God. Nothing else, nothing more needs to be added. But the extensive subject and exploration of effectual prayer takes on many forms as well as many exciting directions. Here are some thoughts that should help us in defining prayer and the reasons we need to learn to Pray without ceasing! 1. Prayer gives us eyes to see and faith to proceed. 2. Prayer is God’s gift to us. By offering our prayers to Him, He is able to guide, direct and transform our communication of love into Godly thoughts, words and deeds. 3. Prayer is an honor and privilege He offers the elect, plugging us into His divine power, mind and spirit.
By learning to surrender our wants, goals and selfish desires to His will, we can take on the character and the image of our Savior, Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:29 & Romans 12:2)
3 comments:
Ah, Augustine. Once again hitting the nail on the head.
Having fellowshipped in a wide variety of Christian traditions I have seen a number of modes of prayer. Nothing like my wife's experience in the Advent Christian tradition, however. The oldsters in that church had a prayer voice; a special voice and vocabulary and intonation just for prayer.
Knowing that God knows my deepest thoughts and needs, however, can (and often does)draw me away from the discipline of prayer.
Mike
“O Lord our Savior, You have warned us that You will require much of those to whom much is given. Grant that we, whose lot is cast in so godly a heritage, may strive together the more abundantly to extend to others what we so richly enjoy, and as we have entered into the labors of others, so to labor that others may enter into ours, to the fulfillment of Your holy will, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
A far better prayer than the one he is notoriously known for, “O Lord, give me chastity, but not yet.”
The Confessions St. Augustine
This extensive and complicated topic has a very simple and uncomplicated definition. Prayer is simply the elect’s way of communicating with God. Nothing else, nothing more needs to be added. But the extensive subject and exploration of effectual prayer takes on many forms as well as many exciting directions.
Here are some thoughts that should help us in defining prayer and the reasons we need to learn to Pray without ceasing!
1. Prayer gives us eyes to see and faith to proceed.
2. Prayer is God’s gift to us. By offering our prayers to Him, He is able to guide, direct and transform our
communication of love into Godly thoughts, words and deeds.
3. Prayer is an honor and privilege He offers the elect, plugging us into His divine power, mind and spirit.
By learning to surrender our wants, goals and selfish desires to His will, we can take on the character and the image of our Savior, Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:29 & Romans 12:2)
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