Philip Yancey on Prayer

One of my very favorite authors, Philip Yancey, has a new book out entitled Prayer (subtitled Does It Make Any Difference?) I have a bad habit of reading books too fast, but I'm determined to read this one slowly and really ponder it. Since it will be on my mind so much, you will probably hear a lot about it!

I've been struggling with the reality that when I retire in December, I won't have money (either to blow or to give) anymore. It's true, like Proverbs says, that money sprouts wings and flies away, but up until now I always had more flying in. Not after December.

Last time I quit work for a few years (to raise my kids) it was really good for me because the lack of money made me more dependent on God. I'm hoping for the same result this time. Anyway, here's what Yancey said about the matter:

Prosperity may dilute prayer. The wealthy rely on talent and resources to solve immediate problems, and insurance policies and retirement plans to secure the future. We can hardly pray with sincerity, "Give us this day our daily bread" when the pantry is stocked with a month's supply of provisions.

Another problem I've had with prayer is lack of time. Since I have to leave the house at 7 a.m. to go to work, my quiet time is much shorter than I'd like. Here's what Yancey said about that:

Increasingly, time pressures crowd out the leisurely pace that prayer seems to require. Communication with other people keeps getting shorter and more cryptic: text messages, email, instant messaging. We have the constant sensation of not enough. Not enough time, not enough rest, not enough exercise, not enough leisure. Where does God fit into a life that already seems behind schedule?

The third thing he said that convicted me was this:

If we DO choose to look inward and bare our souls, support groups now offer outlets that were once reserved for God alone. Praying to an invisible God does not bring forth the same feedback you would get from friends who at least nod their heads in sympathy. Is anyone really listening? As Ernestine, the nasal-voiced telephone operator (Lily Tomlin) used to ask, "Have I reached the party to whom I am speaking?"

I need to lose some weight. Ok, a LOT of weight. Not for my appearance (Joe doesn't seem to care) but for my HEALTH. So my first instinct is, "What group can I join? Whose plan can I go on? " This after the Holy Spirit clearly spoke to me at the Worship Institute last July and told me he wanted to carry that burden for me, and if I would just PRAY, he would tell me what to do moment-by-moment. So my next challenge is to learn to stay in prayer and listen.

One final quote for today:

Prayer, and only prayer, restores my vision to one that more resembles God's. I awake from blindness to see that:

* wealth lurks as a terrible danger, not a goal worth striving for

*value depends not on race or status but on the image of God every person bears

*no amount of effort to improve physical beauty has much relevance for the world beyond.

Good stuff, huh? And that's all from the first few pages! Thanks for reading, bloggerbuddies! See you for worship tomorrow!! Can't wait!