God's Prayer Book
There is little more invigorating to prayer than using the words of God Himself to fuel it. One of my most serendipitous (if a firm belief in the sovereignty of God will allow such terminology) discoveries is the volume by Kenneth Boa, entitled Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship. The book guides prayer in all its moods using the word of God. I have yet to use it without being profoundly affected by the life it breathes. Another resource for prayer that I use regularly is The Psalms for Prayer by T. M. Moore. The psalms give us voice in all situations of the human condition in communion with God, leaving no God-appointed target for prayer unattended. However, allowing Scripture to direct our prayer lives means more than reciting prayers, even with fruitful minds and resonating hearts, or interacting with God along the lines of His inscripturated revelation. Scripture itself is a school of prayer in that we hear the voice of our personal God as the speaker, as He pastorally ministers to His people in relationship with them. A primary value I see in my book, The Prayer of Jehoshaphat: Seeing Beyond Life's Storms, is the tutorial it provides for engaging God expectantly in the trenches of life, not just parroting a prayer but learning from the context that produced it to interact with God to give us a bigger view of Him, a better view of ourselves, and a broader view of His grace sufficient for us in whatever we face. God's prayer book doesn't just give us prayers. It makes us pray-ers.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
The Face to Face book by Dr. Boa is excellent and prompts me to pray for areas of my life and God's kingdom that I might otherwise not think to pray about. Providentially the paraphrased scripture often speaks to a specific need and I am encoraged to look at the wider context and seek what the Lord is trying to tell me. The format expands upon my initial areas of prayer following 'ACTS' adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication and adds a focus on God's promises and our renewal. I am really enjoying praying through this book.
One of the resources that we are using in the Fanning the Flame ministry is Boa's book.
My prayer time is frequently also Scripture time. I will read Scripture and be led to pray in ways that apply those Scriptures to circumstances in my life.
It's amazing to see how God brings things out of the Scripture more fully when our intention is not only to learn from it, but also to be obedient to it and pray over it.
The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit, and we are called to live by that Word. When God's Word is divorced from prayer we are left with a dagger rather than a sword.
To wield the Sword properly it must become part of us. We ought not merely read it but ingest it...and prayer is part of that, bringing life to the Word as it penetrates our heart.
In the wonder of God's grace, Scripture and prayer have a wonderful symbiotic relationship:
While prayer makes the Word more effective, the Word also makes prayer more effective...
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (Joh 15:7 ESV)
Post a Comment