How Should I Pray?
How should I pray?
Such is a question I, personally, have struggled with in the past. Do I just close my eyes and direct whatever comes into my head toward God? Or should I just recite a written prayer or one committed to memory, depending on the situation?
There are two ways to approach prayer. The first being the liturgical approach, in which a prescribed prayer has been recorded with the intent of the same to be read or memorized.
The other approach is known as spontaneous, where the person offering up the prayer speaks from a leading of the Holy Spirit.
There are some who will take a position that the spontaneous form is to be favored over the liturgical and would posit liturgical prayer to be wooden and artificial. Claim is made that the Christian is not truly engaged, but only reciting a string of unfelt words.
On the other hand there may be those who take the opposite view, that spontaneous prayer is a shallow and self-centered form. That it does not revere and give God glory as does the liturgical form.
So... Which is correct?
How about a mediating approach? An approach in which both forms are accepted and used by the believers.
I, for the most part, have come from a background where spontaneous prayer is the norm, and very little liturgical is actually utilized. Perhaps, due to our personal relationship, we feel a true closeness to Christ and fear lifting up lofty words is liable to create a distance or gap between Him and ourselves, this is understandable. How many times have we recited the Lord's Prayer without giving much thought as to what we were saying? Yet, the Lord Jesus himself gave it to us as an example. (I will demonstrate momentarily, how the Lord's Prayer can also be used as an outline for our spontaneous prayer.) So, I do not think we should just reject liturgical prayer out of hand.
I would, however, offer a caveat regarding spontaneous prayer...
For the believer who comes to the Lord in genuine humility, pours out their heart and lifts up honest petition, I have no doubt God will honor such, despite that person’s lack of oratorical skill or high vocabulary. But rather, the Lord will look upon the true measure of that individual’s heart. But where I do place concern, is when one comes to the Almighty God with a nonchalant or flippant attitude and lifts up prayers that are neither sincere nor honoring of Him. As Matt Chandler (pastor of the Village Church, Texas) has stated "Jesus did not come to die on a cross so you and Him could be boys". We need to remember who we are addressing and show the respect and reverence due Him.
With that said, I would like to offer a look at the Lord's Prayer and an outline Christ has provided to us within the same from the gospel of Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV):
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
In the opening of the prayer we see Jesus worshipping and lifting up praise and honor to God the Father. It is a wonderful example of how to approach the King of the Universe. It serves to remind us of who we are petitioning and of His holiness. Try to be fully aware that when you pray, you are coming before the throne of the Almighty God. Lift up praises and thanksgiving to Him. Heap honor and worship upon Him and His name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Here we have submission to the Lord and His will. Instead of searching for His will to coincide with ours, it would serve us better to bend our will to His. This is not to imply we do not ask Him for anything. But, think about what it is you are asking for. We may sometimes ask for things, that in reality, we do not need and may actually be contrary to God, His nature, and will. Acknowledge this and ask for the strength to place His will before your own.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Our God is a gracious and loving God. Here Jesus makes petition for God the Father to make provision for us. It would be here where one would want to lift up individual needs (both physical and spiritual), and not an opportunity to ask indulgence for our covetous wants. We do not want to try and use the Lord as our own personal genie.
Also, bear in mind there may be times when we will need to be content with whatever situation we find ourselves, and trust God has a purpose if we do not receive an answer just yet. It may be possible the answer is no. In this case we need to be accepting of the same whether it be for our own or another’s benefit, or simply for His glory. Remember, God already knows what you need, even more so than you.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Christ is our mediator, and He intercedes on our behalf to the Father. We will want to confess our sins, asking forgiveness for the same with a truly contrite and repentant heart. Knowing God is a forgiving God. Likewise, we are to emulate this forgiveness towards others. If we struggle with this, then we should ask God, through the Holy Spirit, to strengthen us in this area of weakness.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Here we have a petition for God the Father to maintain His divine providence over us. Protecting us so that we may not fall prey to Satan, any of his fallen angels, or to our own sinful natures. Thus being lead into sin and unrighteousness. At the end, it is as we began. Praising and declaring God's glory.
Utilizing the Lord's prayer, one can actually cover more than what appears at first. It does not have to be recited word for word almost mechanically. But, can be used in a much fuller sense.
With this demonstration of merging the liturgical with the spontaneous, it is not my intent for any to think I have spurned entirely the strict liturgical approach. I believe there is a place for it, just as there is for strict spontaneous prayer.
The key in using liturgical prayer is remaining focused on what you are saying, and being capable of actually identifying with the words spoken. In short, feeling what you are saying and not merely engaging in empty speech.
Below, I am providing PDF documents to four (4) liturgical prayers that I, personally, have found edifying. These prayers have come from the book "The Practice of Piety" by Lewis Bayly, who was an early Puritan Bishop in the Church of England. "The Practice of Piety" was a very influential book on the great Baptist Puritan, John Bunyan. I have also found the same to be a blessing and recommend it highly.
Grace to you,
J. Lashley
prayerforthemorning.pdf | |
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shortprayermorning.pdf | |
File Size: | 54 kb |
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prayerforevening.pdf | |
File Size: | 66 kb |
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shortereveningprayer.pdf | |
File Size: | 53 kb |
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