Each year I try to read one book on prayer. I am re-reading ‘Prayer’ by Richard Foster, author of ‘Celebration of Discipline’.
The book is divided into three sections - Moving Inward. Moving Upward. Moving Outward.
Some quotes from the first chapter in the first part - on ‘Simple Prayer’ -
“True, whole prayer is nothing but love”. St Augustine.
“He prayeth well, who loveth well.” Samuel Coleridge in ‘The Rime of the ancient Mariner’.
“We yearn for prayer and hide from prayer. We are attracted to it and repelled by it. We believe prayer is something we should do, even something we want to do; but it seems as if a chasm stands between us and actually praying. We experrience the agony of prayerlessness.” p.7
He then encourages us to start with ’simple prayer’. The prayer of the everyday matters. The issues currently on our plate today. It may well be selfish and messy, but at least it is real. We are encouraged also to tell God what we really feel about the issues. Moses did - Num.11:11-12. Elijah did. And Abraham, Joseph, Joshua, Hannah, Ruth, David (note some of the Psalms). and so on. Begin where we are: in our families, jobs, neighbours, friends. “To believe that God can reach us and bless us in the ordinary junctures of daily life is the stuff of prayer.” p.11. God does enter our space.
He closes the chapter with this prayer “Dear Jesus, how desperately I need to learn to pray. And yet, when I am honest I know that I often do not even want to pray. I am distracted! I am stubborn! I am self-centred! In your mercy, Jesus, bring my “want-er” more in line with my “need-er”, so that I can come to want what I need. In your name and for your sake, I pray. Amen”