“Man, on the whole...

does not enjoy prayer.”
-Romano Guardini

Why is it, I wonder, did I gravitate towards the above quote as soon as I read it? Why don't I enjoy prayer? When I saw a book on prayer at the local library by one of my favorite Christian authors, I leaped for it. It's called Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?, and it's written by Philip Yancey, who is a fantastic writer (he's editor-at-large, by the way, at Christianity Today, the link to which I have to the left of this post under favorite links). I'll admit, I struggle with prayer; Yancey says that, "To some people prayer seems, as George Buttrick put it, 'a spasm of words lost in a cosmic indifference'..." and in my darker moments, I'm one of those people (15). However, there's something about his words on prayer that motivate me and make me feel more open to what can ultimately be, at times, such a frustrating exercise:

On why prayer is necessary:
"Prayer helps correct myopia, calling to mind a perspective I daily forget. I keep reversing roles, thinking of ways in which God should serve me, rather than vice versa. As God fiercely reminded Job, the Lord of the universe has many things to manage, and in the midst of my self-pity I would do well to contemplate for a moment God's own point of view." (pg 21-22)

On society's condemnation of religion:
"How odd, that prayer seems foolish to some people who base their lives on media trends, superstition, instinct, hormones, social propriety, or even astrology." (pg 22)

"Prayer is a subversive act performed in a world that constantly calls faith into question." (51)

On persisting in prayer:
"We pray in faith that our words somehow cross a bridge between visible and invisible worlds, penetrating a reality of which we have no proof. We enter God's milieu, the realm of spirit, which seems much less real to us than it did to Adam." (22-23)

On why we should pray, if God already knows all:
"We are completely known to God, said C.S. Lewis...We can assent with all our will to be so known; we can unveil before God; we can offer ourselves to view. We can invite God into our lives and ourselves into God's. When we do that, putting ourselves on a personal footing with God, so to speak, relationship heats up and a potential for extraordinary friendship stirs to life. For God is a Person, too, and though a person unlike ourselves, One who surely fulfills more of what that word means, not less." (62)

"When I shift direction, I realize that God already cares about my concerns...more than I do. Grace, like water, descends to the lowest part." (23)

I hope you find these quotes as inspiring as I did...and I'll post more later!

Here are some lyrics from two of my favorite musical prayers:
Gratitude by Nichole Nordeman
So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case . . .
We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace

Indescribable by Chris Tomlin
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom