Prayer Strategy Number Four

This is the fourth of my twelve prayer strategies found in my book, ‘Prayer Strategies – A Series of Helps.’ These tools help keep me focused when my mind starts to drift, and energized when boredom begins to settle in. These strategies can help energize the prayer life of anyone who seeks to grow closer to the Master. The book can be found on Amazon at this link: http://tinyurl.com/hvc7skx

Strategy Four – Scripted (canned) Prayer

I used to think “scripted prayer” was an oxymoron, that scripted or "canned" prayers, like those in prayer books, are less meaningful (read: less spiritual) than spontaneous ones.

How foolish of me. Men and women of God have prayed scripted prayers – such as the Psalms – for millennia. And what of those offered to God by spiritual giants such as St. Augustine, St. Francis of Assisi, John Wesley, and A. W. Tozer?

For example, when offered from the heart, doesn't Tozer's prayer carrya sweet savor to the Father?

Lord, I have heard a good word inviting me to look away to You and be satisfied. My heart longs to respond, but sin has clouded my vision till I see You but dimly. Be pleased to cleanse me in Your own precious blood, and make me inwardly pure, so that I may with unveiled eyes gaze upon You all the days of my earthly pilgrimage.

Or this one by John Wesley: I am no longer my own, but Yours. Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for You or laid aside for You, exalted for You or brought low for You; let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and heartily yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal.

Or St. Augustine: Narrow is the mansion of my soul; [please] enlarge it, that You may enter in. It is ruinous; [please] repair it. It has that within which must offend Your eyes; I confess and know it. But who shall cleanse it? Or to whom should I cry, [except to] Thee? Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults, and spare Thy servant from the power of the enemy.

Or St. Francis: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love, Where there is injury, pardon, Where there is doubt, faith, Where there is despair, hope, Where there is darkness, light, Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, not so much to be understood as to understand, not so much to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in dying that we awake to eternal life.

Speaking of scripted prayers, here’s one that dropped into my thoughts one morning while preparing to publish this prayer booklet. You might be familiar with Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnet, How Do I Love Thee? As I reflected on its beautiful message, I modified it and used it as a prayer to God. I include it to give you an idea of how you also can modify poems or songs to fit your own heart cry to God.

How Do I Love Thee?

How do I love thee? Oh, Lord, let me count the ways I want to love thee.

I want to love Thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach, even when I feel I’m out of your sight.

I want to love Thee to the end of my being. I want to love Thee above the level of every day’s most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I want to love Thee freely. I want to love Thee purely. I want to love Thee with a passion put to use for Thy kingdom, even in my griefs and with a child-like faith.

I want to love Thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life; and if You permit, I want to love Thee even better after death.

And finally – there really isn’t a “finally” when it comes to the kinds of prayers we or others can write – here is part of a prayer written by Jeanne St. John Taylor, an Internet acquaintance of mine. You can find many of her prayers on her blog (copy this link into your browser – http://weeklyprayer.blogspot.com/)

O God of the Ineffable Name, the Great I AM, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, You are a God who hides himself -- for our protection since human flesh is not capable of looking on your face and surviving. But because you want us to know you, you continuously reveal yourself in Creation. The changing colors of the clouds, the thunder of waterfalls and the multitude of stars have shouted your name since the beginning of time.

We hear you in the whisper of breeze in the trees. Sense your presence in the sweet incense of cherry blossoms. We long for you even if we don’t know what we’re longing for . . . .

Come fill us with the flow of your love, Holy Spirit. . . . Show us how to quiet our hearts and trust you to handle things we can’t handle. Pry our fingers loose from control of our own lives and those around us. Teach us to empty ourselves of self-effort and open ourselves to you so you can heal us in mysterious ways we don’t understand. Give us your peace that passes beyond understanding. Remind us that when we don’t have words to express our deep ache, your Spirit prays for us with groanings too deep for words – and you hear. And answer . . . .

Like prayer lists, acrostics, or alphabet prayers, scripted and self-authored prayers can become the means of a deepening relationship with Jesus. Such prayer strategies can help us focus on our communication with Him.