Re understanding Prayer

Hey I have finnally completed the final pages of the book [re] understanding prayer Prayer written by Kyle Lake. As I have already noted in a previous post - the writer is a learner. and when he say he is re-understand he is not seeking to introduces us to a new technique or anything special like that. But just the real sense that so often we may well get stale and need to discover afresh prayer.
The heart of the book and the ultimatlely the message is summed up in the subtitle is "A Fresh approach to conversation with God". It is so easy to use churchy words in prayer such as "Bless" "lead, guide direct" "Repent". It is suggested here that it not about how many good theological words you may be able to fit into your prayer. Prayer is about a conversation and here is a quote from Lake:

"The essence of the conversation, though is altogether different.
It means you step into a dialogue not entirely knowing how the conversation will end or where the road will take you. It involves thoughts and feelings that are present in the moment. Intrinsic to true conversation are qualtities like silence, listening, truthfulness, and presence. They are no generated responses designed to sound spiritual. If so, we ask ourselves, who or what are we selling to God? Cars?" (p132)

We enter into this continued conversation (prayer) by faith not neccessary knowing what the outcome it will be.
Lake really says that prayer is not just what we utter - it is a lifestyle - it wouldnt be fair just for us to compartmentalize God into our schedules. Lake also says this about a conversation of prayer:

"If we want more from our lives with God, we could forge new
territory. Terrain that's not covered. We could allow prayer to
develop fully into what it's already becoming - fluid, seamless, open ended conversation that threads our day." (P161)

This devotional encouraged me afresh about prayer and need to be living day to day conversing with God.

Reunderstanding Prayer

I still have this book by Kyle Lake entitled [re] understanding Prayer waiting to be read. But having a rough glance at the book I note that Kyle acknowleges that he is an amateur in prayer. Having read Philip Yancey's book on prayer, he would say the same thing. Writing about prayer, I would say the same, I dont thing I will ever be able to make the claim "I have mastered prayer". We will always go about with our learner plates.

How do we learn? We take time to sit like a babe growing up learning to communicate for the first time.

Read Reflect Renew

It is nearly that time of year again. Time when people have a wee bit more time to read reflect and renew. Again prayer is a theme we need to remind ourselves of and to re- understand prayer.

One of the books that I have set aside (if I have the time!!) to read is this book on prayer [RE] UNDERSTANDING PRAYER writing by Kyle Lake. Reading the following link for a review of the book click here. Look forward to gleaning fresh insights from prayer on this book. More to follow on this one!

Phil