An invitation to name that prayer

[Matthias]

From my X / Twitter “For you” feed -

“What is one prayer you have prayed for years and still haven’t stopped praying?”

Pastor Rich Bitterman (@w_bitterman) on X

What is one prayer you have prayed for years and still haven’t stopped praying?

x.com

 

[Matthias]

“The very act of prayer is a blessing.” - C.H. Spurgeon

 

[Matthias]

The Shema. The Lord’s Prayer is another.

 

[Lambano]

The Shema. The Lord’s Prayer is another.

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Does the Shema count as a prayer, or would it fall into the category of a "confession of faith" like the Apostle's Creed, the Nicene creed, or for that matter, the Shahada?

 

[Lambano]

A common grace said before meals. Learned in childhood; still usable today.

God is good,
God is great,
We thank you for
The food on our plate.

Which is a little more reverent than the grace used by certain (ahem!) relatives of mine who shall remain nameless:

Good food,
Good meat.
Good God,
Let's eat.

 

[Lambano]

When I think of the grace-before-meals prayer above, or the rote prayers we do as part of the communion liturgy, I wonder if those fall into the category of "prayers to be seen by men" or "vain babbling" as per Matthew 6:5-8.

 

[Matthias]

Does the Shema count as a prayer, or would it fall into the category of a "confession of faith" ….

Thank you for asking. It is both.

… like the Apostle's Creed, the Nicene creed, or for that matter, the Shahada?

 

[Matthias]

When I think of the grace-before-meals prayer above, or the rote prayers we do as part of the communion liturgy, I wonder if those fall into the category of "prayers to be seen by men" or "vain babbling" as per Matthew 6:5-8.

Is there a third option?

 

[Lambano]

Is there a third option?

Praying them from the heart is always a viable option. But then I'd have to pay attention.

 

[quietthinker]

I think when prayers are by rote, one is not communicating with God any more than if one spoke to another with pre chewed sentences.

 

[Matthias]

Praying them from the heart is always a viable option. But then I'd have to pay attention.

I thought about praying the scriptures during the night. I’m sure it had to do with our brief conversation. It was still on my mind when I woke up this morning. Thank you.

Reasons for doing it are offered in the linked article.

12 Reasons You Should Pray Scripture

I don’t want to give the impression that I’m a prayer-expert. I’m not. But that’s one reason I find praying Scripture so helpful (more on that later). My argument is simple: You should pray Scripture. Three qualifications: I don’t mean merely that you should pray. That’s a given. I don’t mean...

www.thegospelcoalition.org

Outside of the two I mentioned - with the former being daily and the latter being occasionally - I seldom engage in the practice.

I do enjoy reading prayerbooks. I tend to think of Hymnals as corporate prayerbooks.

 

[Matthias]

I think when prayers are by rote, one is not communicating with God …

I think when prayers are by rote, one is communicating with God. I’m certain he knows the intention of the heart.

Having said that, I can’t picture praying only by rote. Rightly or wrongly, that strikes me as being cold and robotic.

 

[Matthias]

“My father, whose prayer you heard just now - how often have I heard him pray for his children; and I can truly say the prayer that is nearest to my heart is for my sons, that they may serve the Lord. There is nothing I desire so much beneath the skies.” - C.H. Spurgeon

I don’t have a son. My grandson is seven years old, and I’ve prayed this regularly in regard to him since before he was born.