It would seem to me that the answer to the above question will be based on our own view of what we perceive prayer to be. Below is an offering from James Montgomery. The contribution is to be found in the Methodist Hymn Book (Hymns and Psalms) number 557.
Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, uttered or unexpressed, the motion of a hidden fire that trembles in the breast.
Prayer is the burden of a sigh, the falling of a tear, the upward glancing of an eye when none but God is near.
Prayer is the simplest form of speech that infant lips can try; Prayer the sublimest strains that reach the majesty on high.
Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice returning from his ways, while angels in their songs rejoice, and cry "behold, he prays!"
Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, the Christians native air, our watchword at the gates of death; we enter heaven with prayer.
O thou by whom we come to God, The Life, the Truth, the Way! The path of prayer thyself hast trod: Lord teach us how to pray.
I invite you to consider the above contribution and to share your thoughts about what prayer is for you and what you believe you are doing when you pray.
Shalom friends as always
Stephen
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17 comments:
If the hymn suggests what prayer is about it also opens up the many ways that we might pray. I have become more and more reluctant to use words in prayer as I have continued on my Christian pilgrimage; I have no words that suffice for adoration; if my understanding of mission is that we are joining in with God, then intercession is really about recognising what God is already about, and God doesn't need me to do that. Thankfulness is an interesting one because while I may be thankful for a bright sunny day, I am aware that local farmers may be wanting some rain (though I guess not at the moment!). I have come more and more to see prayer not as action but as attitude, to see prayerfulness as mindfulness, that is mindfulness of God, of others, of the world around me, of self. I am not saying that I always manage that; neither am I saying there is no place for times when such mindfulness might be developed, encouraged, strengthened, fuelled. St Benedict said, "Prayer ought to be short and pure, unless it be prolonged by the inspiration of Divine grace." I think I agree; God doesn't need my waffling but in the practice of mindfulness I might just discover something of God (and of neighbour and self) that the sound of my words might otherwise have drowned out. Over to others for comment. Shalom.
Not a very advanced pray-er, me. I am aware that others who are moreso find that silence/wordless presence increase as they go along. I am still at the stage of experiencing prayer as relationship, where sometimes one is just being quitely with the other person, sometimes feeling a lot of warmth, voicing appreciation, apologising, discussing, making requests or plans, expressing concern for people, etc. I suppose the danger of this sort of praying might be to make my view of relationship with God to much like a human one??
Thanks Julyan, Pinxit, I feel the need to reflect and consider the comments you have posted as both offer to me something positive and make connections with my experience of prayer.
in my opinion for what its worth, the questions that the blog poses plus the content of hymn 557, brings me to the conclusion that prayer is multi faceted can contain different motives and aspects, (as you already state in your opening sentence Julyan).
While I concede that making time for prayer can be useful I feel that it should not necessarily be a seperate exercise that takes place. i.e from 8am -8.30am. Rather it should be part of the natural rhythm of life and faith.
The question "What am I doing when I pray?" is not easy to answer specificly. (I wonder if it should be)I suppose in prayer I am admitting that there is something greater than myself in existence. a mysterious entity/reality??? who is known to me as God. In prayer I acknowledge that God is not only behind the creation and sustaining of the Cosmos, but is intimately involved with the universe, particularly Human Beings of which I am one. It is a participation of mind and heart and interaction that seems to be reflect human relationships. There is a danger I suppose that I drag God down to the human level, but then again in which other way do I experience intimate, meaningful developing relationships?
Sorry if it reads cold/impassionate but I felt the need, for my own benefit to attempt to answer the above question from a logical perspective.
Shalom
Thanks both. Isn't it so that however we view prayer must be influenced by not only our understanding of God, and how we express that understanding (often in anthropomorphic ways, using the language we apply to and about each other as human beings) but also by our own natures and characters? Are we thinkers or feelers, speakers or doers; do words come easy or hard to us; are we private or public people? There is in Penlee House Gallery at the moment a fascinating juxtaposition of two Titcomb paintings. One is of Primitive Methodists at prayer, one has two fishermen (among other people) deep in prayer, hands clasped, heads bowed. The other, I think its called Three Old Sea Dogs, has three old chaps sat alongside each other with the sea behind them. Is there conversation going on, or are they sat in that quiet contemplation that is sometimes characteristic of old friends comfortable in each other's company? Might not both these paintings be about prayer? I wonder. Does prayer need the inclusion of certain words to make it so? Or might it be something much wider? Blessings.
Thanks Julyan. I am reminded of some words from Rev Howard Mellor (former principal of Cliff College) who said and I paraphrase)Worship is about relaxing and putting your feet up with God. I wonder if we can apply the above to prayer. Certainly the informality and indeed familairity may seem strange and "alien" but I think it is worth thinking through before being dismissed out of hand. Another Minister I have known, Rev Gerald Bates from America (some may remember him) used to go down regularly to the Church at 6am on a Sunday morning and go to sleep as part of his worship service preparation.It would seem to me that we (the Church, as well as us as individuals) are used to structure proceedure and formula in public prayer. Generally we sit and bow our heads with eyes closed. Hands are usually together. We listen (as best we can) to someone speaking on our behalf. We may openly contribute with the word Amen to finish the time of prayer. As a preacher "on trial", I was encouraged to formulate prayer as follows. Praise/Adoration, Thanksgiving and then Confession. This would then be followed with the Lord's Prayer as was the norm.To help in "private prayer", I remember a popular formula doing the rounds was "A Teaspoon" The structure here was to Adore, give Thanks, say Sorry, and then say Please. I wonder if in the teaching of prayer we could help each other to be free of structure and to widen not only vision of God but ways in which we may respond. Perhaps talking about and comparing paintings is a good start.Shalom
Thanks trinityblogger. I remember Gerry well and have often referred to his practice of sitting in his chair with his feet in the drawer of his desk and a blanket over him in prayer. I suppose that is setting time aside when pryer might come or sleep, or perhaps they might be the same thing. A thought that ties in with what came to my mind as I viewed those two Titcomb paintings is that of Graham Greene quoted by Harry Williams, "When the moment of grace comes our prayers will rise like flocks of birds." Williams says, "I hoped that included our unuttered prayers, those buried wishes which rise to the surface every now and then and quickly disappear once more below ground." Williams went on to become a monk and found value in the ordered prayer of the monastery, and I have a sense of that also, but those moments when the "flock of birds" rises are truly "thin places", perhaps moments of epiphany. But then, sometimes we can be so caught up in the affairs of the day or whatever that the sky may grow dark with birds without our noticing. So, back to mindfulness, I guess. Blessings all.
Thanks Julyan. I would like to make it known that ordered or structured prayer has its place. Indeed it is a good discipline that this particular contributer could benefit from engaging in more frequently. Your reference to mindfulness takes me to the second verse of Montgomery's hymn. "Prayer is the simplest form of speech that infant lips can try; prayer the sublimest strains that reach the majesty on high." What is the simplest speech, what are the sublimest strains? Isaac Watts in his hymn (no.49 Hymns and Psalms v.5) says "God is in heaven, we dwell below; Be short our tunes, our words be few; A sacred reverence checks our songs, and praise sits silent on our tongues." I wonder if both writers are saying the same thing? I would be glad to hear opinions!
Shalom friends
Unfortunately a sacred reverence rarely checks our songs or anything else but that's maybe another story. I was struck by Isaac Watts' words about God in heaven and we below; while not wanting to criticise Watts as a hymn writer I'm not sure about the picture of God he's painting there. OK for him, I guess, but not for me. Good on transcendence but not so hot on immanence. By immanence, I'm not suggesting the familiarity that leads to mushiness or gushiness (though if that works for others, fine too), but personally I can't find much mileage in a God who sits away up there somewhere (wherever that is) but is not to be known in the here and now, in the small things of life, in the commonplace. Do we view the incarnation as bringing God to us or as reminding us (albeit in a unique way) that God is already present? And what does that do to our prayers and our praying? Shalom, brothers and sisters.
Thanks Julyan I notice too that Montgomery Bruce says "God is in heaven we dwell below" There would seem to be in the minds of these writers a chasm that seperates God and humanity. You raise a very good point about the place of God not only in prayer, but also in life!! I remember that someone wrote and I paraphrase; Christianity is the only religion where God reaches down to humanity. I may be going off on a tangent but I wonder if the Holy Communion service emphasises the importance of Jesus as the incarnational God? I have been very grateful to have been on both sides of the table so to speak (celebrater and assistant) and I do sense in the communion service that there is reverence, respect, an awareness of the "otherness" of God alongside an immense gratitude and recognition that the grace of God in Jesus is offered to and received by the individual. If my memory serves me right (and apologies if this is wrong) the "Prayer of humble access" from the Methodist Service Book says "Lord we come to your table, trusting in your mercy and not in any goodness of our own. We are not worthy to gather up the crumbs under your table, yet it is your nature always to have mercy and on that we depend. So feed us with the body of Jesus Christ your Son that we may for ever live in him and he in us." Am I correct in this assessment of the Holy Communion service? Over to you.
Shalom friends
Thanks trinityblogger, I always think communion is a reminder of the God among us, present in bread and wine, present in our sharing together, reminding us of the holiness of all things in God, of the extraordinary in the ordinary, of heaven on earth, of the potential that sits unseen and too often unbidden in so many and so much. I almost always invite people not to come to the table alone but to bring others with them in their hearts and minds, in their prayers, so that we get to see prayer in the physical act of eating and drinking but also, potentially, in the rest of our physical lives. Blessings.
Thanks Julyan, yes you do ask individuals to bring others in their hearts and minds and prayers to the communion table and I think it is to be commended!
Just want to share a "prayer experience" if I may. On Wednesday last, I went to the Centre with the intention of attending the Prayer Fellowship. Whether it had been cancelled I don't know but I found myself on my own. So I just prayed in silence. I was joined by another who explained that they were not very good at praying out loud, didn't know what to say. I sympathised and said "we'll just sit in silence." At the end we shared in the Lord's Prayer. I have to say I felt different on leaving the sanctuary. I can only describe the feeling as an enhanced awareness of God's prescence. I'll have to ask if the individual who joined me felt it too!
Shalom friends
I wish we could manage more silence in our services but some folk find it uncomfortable. I'm glad yours was a good experience and I hope it was also for your prayer companion - I expect so. I'm certain that we use too many words in worship altogether. I wonder is there a connection with this comment from Thomas Moore, “I don’t mind talking about God in the proper context, and in moderation, but the first commandment – Do not honour false gods – always gives me pause. Unless I say the minimum, and use the name cautiously, I fear I will fall into the worse kind of idolatry – the illusion that in these mysterious matters I know exactly what I am talking about or that I have pinned it down to my comfort.” (from “The Soul’s Religion). (I know another of our bloggers wanted to have this quote after I used it in a service, so here it is). Blessings.
Thanks Julyan. Reflecting on the comment from Thomas Moore leads me to return to the question What are we doing when we pray? Further to ask What are the motivations that drive us to pray? What are the obstacles to prayer? I vaguely remember reading or hearing someone say that the "Prayer Meeting" is the most important meeting in the Church? Is this right? If so why are prayer meetings generally poorly attended? These are just general questions and observations. I would be glad to get some comment on them.
Shalom Friends
You ask some major questions, which would require much time to respond to satisfactorily, but more to the point, the answer would be personal; and that I think is important. The question is what are you doing when you pray, what motivates or hinders you, and how do you do it when and if you do? There will be different answers to those questions for you, me and for all of us. Much in the end depends on our view of God: for some God is a slot machine, the coin of our prayers goes in the slot and if it's the right coin, then the right response is forthcoming. For others, prayer is not asking for anything at all but rather an opening up to the divine, to the spirit. These are but two ways of thinking about prayer; there are many more. Therein perhaps lies some of the difficulty with "prayer meetings"; I suppose some older people can remember them as being occasions when the most prayerfully talkative were in their element, and if that's not their "thing" then they will shy away from such affairs. That's not to suggest they don't pray and indeed your silent experience with AN Other recently is just as much prayer, I would suggest, as the more verbal affairs and potentially even more so. Perhaps another question is: what are we doing as a church when we pray, or what do we think we are doing? I expect you have noticed congregations more reluctant to join in an Amen at the end of prayers. What does that signify? The words of the preacher / prayer are irrelevant to the congregation? Reluctance to speak in church? All manner of other possibilities? "Prayer meeting" also suggests prayer is something that is only done with specific intent and in a particular way. I wonder can we not consider other meetings as prayer even if they do not involve shutting eyes, putting hands together, kneeling, bowing heads or whatever else we suggest constiututes prayer proper. Is the pastoral meeting considering the care and wellbeing of the church's members and those we are in contact with prayer? I struggle more and more with the idea of a God who is accessed only through a certain medium, but whom we cannot see present in our day to day thoughts. If God is one in whom we live and move and have our being, may we not be praying at all times, if prayer is mindfulness rather than a particular act merely. Think of two lovers together, they may not speak but they may still communicate most powerfully; even apart, they may still feel that bond of affection and communication, closeness and shared being. Am I being contentious or might we explore prayer in a more holistic way? Anyway, that's it for now.
Julyan's last sentences in his most recent post made me think: "Anything CAN be prayer, though not everything IS." (I suppose because our wills need to assent to the activity as being Godwards?) Simplistic, but it opens things up for me. I do often find it useful to stay still and close eyes in order to reduce sensory stimuli and focus on seeking communication with God, rather like when we look at someone who's speaking to us in order to listen to them better. But equally, the sort of unselfconsciousness which happens when I'm immersed in work, looking at something really beautiful or listening intently to someone, seems like the unselfconsciousness I feel when prayer flows freely. Is it then part of prayer?
Thanks Julyan. Wow a lot to think about in your last post! Recently a work colleague whose child was very poorly sent a card into work and mentioned how all the Churches in Newlyn were praying for the family and the individual who was ill (as well as others)and he finished with these words "I hope God is listening". The young man in question is a lot better and I wonder if my work colleague felt prayer was helpful, and if it has made a difference to his thinking and attitude towards God and prayer? I think you are right to say that prayer is personal and indeed intimate and you are also correct in my opinion to broaden our thinking about prayer, that is from individual to Church community. You make some relevant points regarding the general attitude towards prayer meetings, and also make a valid point regarding the other meetings within the Church organisation. Thanks, very helpful to this blogger!!
Shalom friends
Thanks pinxit and trinityblogger. Your comments have led me to look at the other side of the prayer equation; we have been concentrating very much on what we are doing when we pray, or on what we might expect. Where is God in all this? What is God doing when we pray? Does God "pray"? Now that question I am going to have to go away and think about! Over to you all. Shalom.
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