I will make a bold claim: We tend to be engineers or poets of prayer.
Engineers take a disciplined, structured approach to their jobs. Poets prefer creativity, letting the imagination fly.
Transferring this picture to prayer, some authors insist that we must set aside the same time every day for prayer and sit down with a prayer list. They are the engineers of prayer.
Others say they have tried the list approach and have rejected it. Instead, they pray as they feel moved - at any time of the day and on any subject. They are the poets of prayer.
I have read good books on both sides of the fence.
Over my lifetime, I have leaned more towards the poetic approach. But I have grown to appreciate the engineer style more and more. Now, I try to incorporate both in my times of prayer.
Let me outline the advantages of both.
Engineers
I have come to see that having a prayer list is important if you want to see how God is working.
It is easy to forget a prayer issue unless you write it down. It builds faith to see that God is answering those prayer requests. I always date my initial request and God's answer.
Years ago, I used to set aside a time in the early morning to read the Bible and pray. Then, the busyness of life interfered and I wound up reading the Bible in the bus to work and praying silently in my seat.
Now that I am retired, it is easier to have a regular time for prayer and Bible study and I schedule it in. I admit that I sometimes still miss it.
I agree with those who say that if Bible study and prayer is important, we should make room for it - pushing aside some of the leisure activities we allow to fill our time.
Sticking to a regular time of prayer prevents me from gradually letting life sweep me away from my time with God.
Poets
I have been attracted to the poetic style of prayer ever since reading Brother Lawrence's The Practice of the Presence of God in my 20s. I have written about this little book elsewhere in this blog.
Brother Lawrence, a French Catholic monk in the 1600s, spent his life washing dishes and being chief wine-buyer for his monastery. He prayed continually during the day - talking with God as he washed the dishes and listening to his responses. He obeyed the strict prayer times of the monastery, but felt more at home in this easy, spontaneous way of praying.
I have talked more about Brother Lawrence here: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3617534320094379788#editor/target=post;postID=3782699526223019291;onPublishedMenu=overviewstats;onClosedMenu=overviewstats;postNum=3;src=postname
This kind of continual conversation with God helps strengthen our love for the Lord and our awareness of his presence. We develop a deeper understanding of Jesus.
A great advantage of this kind of listening prayer is that you pray as God prompts you. It may be vital that you pray for someone precisely at that moment. There are many stories of people whose lives have been saved through prayers prayed at exactly the right time.
So, now I am trying to grow as both an engineer and a poet of prayer.
Engineers take a disciplined, structured approach to their jobs. Poets prefer creativity, letting the imagination fly.
Transferring this picture to prayer, some authors insist that we must set aside the same time every day for prayer and sit down with a prayer list. They are the engineers of prayer.
Others say they have tried the list approach and have rejected it. Instead, they pray as they feel moved - at any time of the day and on any subject. They are the poets of prayer.
I have read good books on both sides of the fence.
Over my lifetime, I have leaned more towards the poetic approach. But I have grown to appreciate the engineer style more and more. Now, I try to incorporate both in my times of prayer.
Let me outline the advantages of both.
Engineers
I have come to see that having a prayer list is important if you want to see how God is working.
It is easy to forget a prayer issue unless you write it down. It builds faith to see that God is answering those prayer requests. I always date my initial request and God's answer.
Years ago, I used to set aside a time in the early morning to read the Bible and pray. Then, the busyness of life interfered and I wound up reading the Bible in the bus to work and praying silently in my seat.
Now that I am retired, it is easier to have a regular time for prayer and Bible study and I schedule it in. I admit that I sometimes still miss it.
I agree with those who say that if Bible study and prayer is important, we should make room for it - pushing aside some of the leisure activities we allow to fill our time.
Sticking to a regular time of prayer prevents me from gradually letting life sweep me away from my time with God.
Poets
I have been attracted to the poetic style of prayer ever since reading Brother Lawrence's The Practice of the Presence of God in my 20s. I have written about this little book elsewhere in this blog.
Brother Lawrence, a French Catholic monk in the 1600s, spent his life washing dishes and being chief wine-buyer for his monastery. He prayed continually during the day - talking with God as he washed the dishes and listening to his responses. He obeyed the strict prayer times of the monastery, but felt more at home in this easy, spontaneous way of praying.
I have talked more about Brother Lawrence here: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3617534320094379788#editor/target=post;postID=3782699526223019291;onPublishedMenu=overviewstats;onClosedMenu=overviewstats;postNum=3;src=postname
This kind of continual conversation with God helps strengthen our love for the Lord and our awareness of his presence. We develop a deeper understanding of Jesus.
A great advantage of this kind of listening prayer is that you pray as God prompts you. It may be vital that you pray for someone precisely at that moment. There are many stories of people whose lives have been saved through prayers prayed at exactly the right time.
So, now I am trying to grow as both an engineer and a poet of prayer.
No comments:
Post a Comment