I find Andrew Gray‘s thoughts on prayer quite helpful. He has already charged us that it is our atheism or idolatry that keeps us from praying; now he defines prayer, illustrates its beauty, and gives us some principles to help us ‘pray without ceasing.’
What is prayer?
…It is a sweet [traveling] and trafficking of the soul betwixt emptiness and fulness – betwixt our inability to help ourselves, and his ability to help us; the one deep calling unto the other deep; or in short, it is a soul’s conference with God (p. 218).
It is, he says, the act in which I take my empty, thirsty soul to the infinite fountain of life. It is the act in which I take my weak, helpless soul to the One who is mighty to save. It is the act in which we come to, as it were, the great conference room of God.
If prayer means traveling, where are we going?
O! what a glorious and unspeakable dignity suppose you it to be, to be daily having your walk in heaven…and to be conversing with him, whose fellowship is of more infinite worth than all imperial dignities. A Christian that is much exercised in prayer may have this to say when he is passing through the gates of death to long and endless eternity, that he is now to change his place, but not his company; heaven may be to him but a blessed transition to a more constant and immediate enjoyment of God (p. 213)
In prayer we lift up our hearts to the Lord of heaven; our souls converse with the God of heaven. In prayer, the cares of earth are lifted to heaven, and the help of heaven is brought down to the earth.
How can we pray without ceasing?
First, That in all our lawful diversions an interruptions from the divine exercise and employment in this noble duty and grace of prayer, we may be keeping ourselves in a praying frame and disposition, so that, when occasion presents itself to us, we may retire ourselves from the noise of our secular affairs, and converse with him (p. 215).
…Secondly, It holds out this unto us, that, in the midst of all our business, and other affairs that we go about, we ought to be sending forth secret and divine [prayers] toward God… (p. 215).
And then, lastly…that we should lay hold, yea, more, that we should watch to lay hold upon every opportunity for this duty of prayer; yea, more, that we should labour for all occasions for the enjoying of this admirable dignity (p. 216).
His three points toward praying without ceasing are simple:
1. Always be ready to pray. Work to keep your attitude such that you could retire to secret prayer at any moment.
2. Always be, in the words of à Kempis, mentally praying, in bursts, throughout the day.
3. Always look for opportunities to pray. I would add here that those opportunities can be private, public, and within the family. Look for opportunities to pray in private to be sure. But also look for opportunities to pray with other people, especially your family, even if you are not the one who is vocally praying. Join others in prayer.
Check your attitude. Are you in a frame of mind and soul to pray? Check your habits. Are you conversing with God throughout the day? Check your desires. Are you longing to pray to the degree that you are actively seeking time and opportunity to do it?
All quotations are from Andrew Gray, Directions and Instigations to the Duty of Prayer [Pray Without Ceasing], from The Works of Andrew Gray (Soli Deo Gloria).
A sweet post indeed. When we have said our prayers, there is always more prayer that could of been done. Oh that our hearts and minds would be set on the beauties and glories of God in the Face of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit all the day long.
Amen.
I always have trouble reading articles on prayer. I never seem to finish the article and end up praying instead. 🙂
That sounds like a good thing to me 🙂
Prayer being “…betwixt emptiness and fullness…” is a helpful meditation for me. I also appreciated the feeling evoked when he writes “…to be daily having your walk in heaven…and to be conversing with him, whose fellowship is of more infinite worth than all imperial dignities. ”
When the Holy Spirit quickens the impact of such ideas, the time and places of prayer Andrew Gray discusses will most certainly become a more common reality for me.
We need to be reminded that prayer is more than simply asking for things; and even that prayer is more than just praise – it is communion with God.
John Owen’s book ‘Communion with God’ changed my life (big time) in that respect. You can probably find it for free online somewhere if you ever want to look it up. The modern writers are of very little help in this area (and that’s probably a reason why we struggle, since we have very few guides).
Great. I think I found it online for free here: http://www.ntslibrary.com/PDF%20Books/John%20Owen%20Communion%20with%20Father%20Son%20&%20Holy%20Ghost.pdf
I agree. The modern writers I have read are not very helpful on this topic. John Owen was very helpful for me in his book about the mortification of sin.