Pray in the Spirit
Sorry I’ve been off-line for a while! Thought I’d better catch up with some reviews of books that I’ve been reading over recent months.
For devotional reading, I have been re-reading Arthur Wallis’ book, Pray in the Spirit, first published nearly forty years ago (sorry about the awful book cover on the picture but it was the only one I could find - don’t judge it by its cover!). I was asked to speak to the local CU on prayer recently and it has often seemd to me that the only thing that I could say about prayer was ‘I do not know how to pray as I ought.’ But I knew that I was in good company because that’s exactly what the apostle Paul said and this excellent little introduction to prayer, focusing on the central role of the Spirit in helping us to pray, is effectively an expounding of principles explicit and implicit in Paul’s words in Romans 8:26-27. Many books on prayer focus on the external practical things about praying; others are very inspirational and exhortational, rightly reflecting the wonder and spiritual mystery of prayer. This is one of the few books that manages to be inspirational and instructive; to be spiritual and practical (and the Holy Spirit is very practical; since Pentecost especially he has been very down to earth!). Arthur Wallis enables you to see the central role of the Spirit to prayer and to life generally without becoming overly mystical or vague; he gives practical tips withour reducing prayer to some easy 3-point plan or coming up with such a prescribed ‘method’ that you don’t have to rely on being led by the Spirit. He deals with issues such struggling with weariness, listening to God and being guided in prayer, and there are some especially good chapters on praying in tongues and with groans that words cannot express. The last chapter, that puts prayer within the context of the eternal purpose of God and the end time, the ‘break of day’ when Jesus shall be gorified in his people, is a terrifc ending to a great little book. It is good to read again a writer who has such a simple, fresh, clear and radical approach to the Scriptures, not stuffed with theology but profound in the simple application of spiritual truths. I recommend it wholeheartedly. Are there any other books on prayer that readers of this blog would recommend?
May 23rd, 2006 @ 12:47 am
I’ve been off-line myself. I’m taking the advice of a friend who advised to read more than I blog. His advice makes sense, as in my short life I don’t have much breadth or depth in my understanding. I’ve also found that it can be difficult to get to the root of an issue, and that the comments can come from some many directions that its hard to draw any real conclusion. But I’ve enjoyed the topics that you bring up, and do plan to contiune blogging–just not as frequently.
For the record, I like praying from the Psalms. I’ve never come across a book on prayer that’s caught my attention. The Lord’s prayer is also a good model to built upon and expanded. For example, “Our Father who art in heaven” can be exanded into a longer prayer of admiration before moving to the next line.
May 24th, 2006 @ 9:51 am
I don’t think you can beat the Arthur Wallis book. I return again and again to the chapters on meditation and prayer in Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline. Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer is also good and as a wife and mother I have found the Stormie Omartian books, The Power of a Praying Wife and the Power of a Praying Parent very informative and inpirational. Finally (though not especially evangelical) I recommend the English spiritual classic The Cloud of Unknowing.
May 26th, 2006 @ 7:30 pm
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s little book Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible is a wonderful read which shows how the Psalms can be incorporated into our prayer lives. It’s especially strong in the area of revealing the way that the Psalms point us to Christ.