[A devotional reflection originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during September 2024]
Prayer presents us with a wonderful opportunity, to acknowledge the magnitude of God, to glorify his name, to praise him for salvation, to thank him for all his blessings and to invite him to continue to help us.
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
Psalm 141 v2 [ESVUK]
Prayer can also be a ‘wander-full’ time; it can be difficult to concentrate our thoughts on the words that we or others are saying. Our minds are easily distracted, wandering off on paths that have little to do with the subject or purpose of our prayers.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; Prone to leave the God I love. [1]
Some yeas ago I encountered an old man in the desert area of southern Saudi Arabia. He was reading a document and, to aid his concentration, he read it out loud, tracing the words with his finger. It was in stark contrast to our modern habits of speed reading and limited attention spans. Does his example provide a clue as to how we can improve our own concentration? It is not always possible but perhaps praying out loud would help.
A few weeks ago we looked at the structure of the prayer template that Jesus taught his disciples, as recorded in Matthew chapter 6. Here is some more advice from Jesus:
But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Matthew 6 v6 [NLT]
As non-conformists we are tempted to dismiss the creeds and collects of the more formalised denominations, but to do so is to neglect some of the gems of faith that have stood the test of time. Here is one example of an Anglican collect, used at this time of year:
O Lord, we beseech you mercifully to hear the prayers of your people who call upon you; and grant that we may both perceive and know what things we ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil them; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. [2]
Whilst such prayers are often used in corporate worship there can be considerable value in using them as a prelude to our personal prayers. Take the time to read the words again, out loud if possible, pausing to reflect on the thoughts it contains.
Finally, God values our prayers and recognises that our achievements do not match our ambitions. Do not be discouraged!
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26 v3 [NKJV]
References:
[1] “Come, Thou fount of every blessing”, Robert Robinson (1758)
[2] Collect for the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © Steve Humphreys