July 19, 2013

  • Praying . . . .

     PryngHndsImge7-13

           Last week-end, I came across a book by Phillip Yancey.  I have read several of his books (The Jesus I Never Knew, What’s So Amazing About Grace?, Where is God When it Hurts? and Disappointment With God) and I like very much the way he thinks and writes.  I have learned and profited from his often unique perspectives, and recommend his books, but I don’t think I can place his writings among the five or six that have made a huge difference in my life.  

           And so when I saw Yancey’s book, Prayer-Does it Make Any Difference?  on the bookshelf, I was confident that I could benefit from what I was going to read from him about prayer.  At the same time the thought did cross my mind that this book probably would not be a big ‘game-changer’ for me--or at least, I wasn’t expecting it to be.  Yancey was not going to have all the answers to every dilemma I face in regard to prayer and my very hap hazard, inconsistent and exasperating approaches to it.  I don’t know--I could be wrong.  I have not come close to finishing it--in fact, I’m not even one hundred pages in yet.  I, however have already found some material in Mr. Yancey’s book that is insightful and will probably be quite useful.  

           Interestingly, Phillip Yancey began the fifth chapter of his book on prayer in the following manner: "The main purpose of prayer is not to make life easier, nor to gain magical powers, but to know God."  He then included an extensive quote from Tim Stafford, a former colleague of his.

           That quote reminded me of a circumstance my last half year at Ohio Valley College.  Actually the school year had just begun with the new freshman class recently oriented and ready for a new chapter in their young lives.  It is only pure speculation on my part, but I suspect that Hinkle and Laurna’s attraction to each other as freshmen that year was a relatively new experience for the both of them.  Apparently neither had had much experience in the realm of dating prior to coming to OVC.  Laurna as I recall haled from Columbus and Hinkle (I cannot recall his first name) was a commuter from the Parkersburg area.  Anyway, they both became extremely interested in each other and they spent as much of their free time together as they possibly could in the library, entrance lobby of the Ad building and the cafeteria.  It became their habitual practice to sit for what seemed to be hours on end across a table from each other in silence, as they gazed into each other’s eyes.  Very little else was going on!   Perhaps a wistful sigh would emanate from one or the other from time to time, but nothing else!  No reading, no study, no conversation with an occasional affectionate glance toward the other; only hardcore constant eye contact was the norm.  And people noticed!  The rest of us students just could not ignore this behavior.  It just seemed bizarre.  And people talked, referring to them as ‘Hinkey-doo and Laurna-doon’.  Certainly kindness was not the obvious hallmark of the snide remarks coming from the other students who were observing what seemed to be their really strange behavior.

            In this regard, Phillip Yancey’s friend in part, said the following; "Silent gazing into a friend’s eyes may seem purer, and certainly more romantic, than mere talk.  But conversation, not silence, builds relationships.  Though I will never minimize the effect of beautiful eyes, I expect to talk to the people I care about--and to hear them talk back.  We do not build relationships on a sentence or two spoken every few years.  Conversation between real friends is a constant stream."  I don’t honestly know what became of ‘Hinkey-doo and Laurna-doon’s’ peculiar romance.  Who knows?! They may have gotten married, had lots of kids and continue to live together in marital bliss and contentment as they grow old together.   I obviously don’t have a clue! 

           Certainly, I suspect that most people understand that prayer involves praise (a willingness to acknowledge God’s sovereignty over us and His place as our Creator and Provider of all essential creature needs--we need Him in our lives).  Prayer also entails thanksgiving for God’s willingness to provide the needs we have for life.  The giving of thanks breeds/engenders a genuine appreciation for God’s intimate involvement in our lives and His willingness to provide the needs we cannot provide for ourselves.  In addition, prayer also includes request/entreaty--our God desires that we make requests of Him, even though He is very much aware of us and all those needs. 

           Tim Stafford, Yancey’s associate continued . . .:

    "Some people say that we should pray not because God needs it, but because we (emphasis mine, e.m.) need it.  When we praise Him, we remind ourselves of what is fundamentally important.  When we thank Him, we humbly remember our utter dependence on His care.  When we pray for people, we are encouraged[/reminded] to then go out and do something to  help them.  From this perspective prayer is a self-help exercise.   No doubt prayer does these and other good things for me, but if they are the principle reasons for praying, my ‘personal relationship’ is in trouble.  Prayer that is only a useful exercise[/device] is not a conversation.  It is more like writing a diary, which is also good for you, but it is entirely private and one-sided."     

           For some reason, deliberately adopting prayer as primarily a means of engaging conversation/ communication with our God for the express purpose of enhancing and deepening that relationship has somehow escaped me.  I’ve used it for praise, thanksgiving and entreaty; the asking for things and actions by God for me and others.  But for deepening my relationship with Him?  Not really.  And I don’t understand how this thought or concept could have escaped my notice.  Through the years I have carried on conversations with God, often confessing my inability to understand Him and His ways; to admit my inabilities/failings and my outright arrogance, stubbornness, cruelty, fickleness and stupidity.  And in that time, my relationship with my God has surely developed and matured.  But to consciously and intentionally  understand and pursue this reality has, til very recently, probably not been my highest priority.

           Meditation is most certainly a Biblical concept and I suppose the practice of meditation is no doubt what I have described above.  Meditation is a form of prayer--a communing with God and I think this has often been a part of my daily repertoire.  And yet, though I have not consciously  embraced this form as a legitimate means of strengthening my relationship with God, prayer and meditation must become much more than the giving of thanks, praise and a time of entreaty and request.  It needs to become the conscious effort of engaging with my God in conversation and meditation for the purpose of examining my own heart and coming to a better understanding of His!

                                   "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

                                                     be acceptable in your sight,

                                                                    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."

                                                                                       Psalm 19:14 [ESV]