“To pray is to accept that we are, and always will be, wholly dependent on God for everything.”
― Timothy Keller, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God
There are countless books about prayer, telling us how to, when to, why to. Doing an internet search for “books on prayer” returns plenty of results.
The same friend I mentioned on the About page told me about a book she read by Timothy Keller, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God. Among those results from the internet search, nearly all included Timothy Keller’s book. Those that didn’t … can only be because they haven’t experienced it.
Reverend Keller’s writing is very thorough, discussing so many topics on prayer, including Understanding Prayer, Desiring Prayer, Learning Prayer, Deepening Prayer … and Doing Prayer. Some of his discussion gets somewhat technical (for example, comparing “Mystical” versus “Prophetic” prayer). Read it cover to cover, or read chapters that capture your interest. After which you’ll be certain to read the book cover to cover.
Before I can even begin to pursue God, I must learn to pray.
Before I can even begin to know what to write here, I must learn to pray.
And as I learn to pray I learn just how desperately I need to concentrate … focus … give God my ALL, every hour of every day. Brother Lawrence says in The Practice of the Presence of God“: That we should establish ourselves in a sense of GOD’s Presence, by continually conversing with Him.” Continually.
And when I dis-continue this sense of God’s Presence, I sit here with my mind wandering all over, about what I’ll have for dinner, what time I need to go to work tomorrow, when I’ll next see my family … everything except focusing on God’s Presence.
In August 2003 I drove out to a state park with a tent, bedding, my Bible and 5 gallons of drinking water. It was for a 7 day water fast. So many years later I see what an impact that week had on me, how I’ve not been the same since. But if I’d known then how to get into God’s Presence and truly pray, I can’t imagine what the result would have been. I do know that rather than “not been the same since,” I would have been transformed in His Holy Spirit.
Prayer … genuine prayer while seeking God’s Holy Spirit … is more than just “essential” to the Pursuit of God. The Pursuit is impossible without it.