[wp-review]
Enjoy Your Prayer Life by Michael Reeves
You won’t find a better, shorter book on prayer; it’s refreshingly unique and potentially helpful for every Christian. Well written, insightful, inspirational, and devotional, it contains both theological depth and practical suggestions. Michael launches his overall thoughts from within the walls of Reformed theology and his main point is adapted from a quote from Calvin: “Prayer is the true exercise of faith.”
For Reeves, prayer is not a burdensome task that someone has to do but a delightful privilege, communion with God, the antithesis of self-dependence, and hopefully a joyful, life-giving part of our lives. “It’s exercising belief that the Almighty is my willing and kind Father, and that, accepting me in the Son, he wants to hear me and bless me. It is understanding that in fact each person of the Trinity is for us in our weakness.”
I can easily identify with Michael’s thought that prayer takes many forms: “For me, very often it’s unclear whether I am praying at a particular moment or working; it is both at the same time … we have communion with God at all times. However, having said that, relationships only grow when you give each other quality time.”
Recently, I tweeted a thought that was inspired by this book: [tweet_dis]Prayer that gets heard: the Spirit of the Son, within us, talking to the Father, through us; us refreshed, changed by divine dialogue.[/tweet_dis]
This book has 14 very short chapters (typically 2-3 pages in length), but great content fills each and every page. For two weeks, I read a chapter a day and put Michael’s thoughts into practice during both my quiet time and my day. Naturally, there were a few things I would have worded differently; however, this is a great book.
Peter, thank you for thinking about us. Pam & I are starting a daily prayer life. We are really excited about getting to know God through our Holy Spirit.
We look forward to your future blogs!
Joe & Pam
Curcuru
Praying together with your wife will pay huge dividends, Joe. It’s a habit my wife and I established years ago. We also try to have a day per week to worship, play, pray … together. On the latter, check out my Dec 27 post on “The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath.” Blessings on your unfolding day, my friend.