Question
With what attitude should we pray?
Answer
With love, perseverance, and gratefulness; in humble submission to God’s will, knowing that, for the sake of Christ, he always hears our prayers.
With love, perseverance, and gratefulness; in humble submission to God’s will, knowing that, for the sake of Christ, he always hears our prayers.
With love, perseverance, and gratefulness.
Scripture
—Philippians 4:6 (ESV)…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
—Philippians 4:6 (NIV)Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
—Philippians 4:6 (NLT)Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Song
Video
Prayer
Adult
“The prayer preceding all prayers is ‘May it be the real I who speaks. May it be the real Thou that I speak to.’”
Footnote
C. S. Lewis (1898–1963). A fellow in English literature at Oxford University as well as chair of English at Cambridge University, Lewis wrote literary criticism, children’s literature, fantasy literature, as well as theology. His most well known works are Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Chronicles of Narnia. A member of the Church of England, his conversion to Christianity was influenced by his Oxford colleague and friend J.R.R. Tolkien.
Attribution
From Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer (Orlando: Harcourt, 1964), 82.
Child
Lord, as we pray to you now, help us to speak to you with our whole heart. Remind us that we pray to the one true, living God. And so we pray… [continue in prayer]. Amen.
Attribution
Derived and adapted from C. S. Lewis in Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer (Orlando: Harcourt, 1964), 82.
“The prayer preceding all prayers is ‘May it be the real I who speaks. May it be the real Thou that I speak to.’”
Footnote
C. S. Lewis (1898–1963). A fellow in English literature at Oxford University as well as chair of English at Cambridge University, Lewis wrote literary criticism, children’s literature, fantasy literature, as well as theology. His most well known works are Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Chronicles of Narnia. A member of the Church of England, his conversion to Christianity was influenced by his Oxford colleague and friend J.R.R. Tolkien.
Attribution
From Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer (Orlando: Harcourt, 1964), 82.
Lord, as we pray to you now, help us to speak to you with our whole heart. Remind us that we pray to the one true, living God. And so we pray… [continue in prayer]. Amen.
Attribution
Derived and adapted from C. S. Lewis in Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer (Orlando: Harcourt, 1964), 82.
Commentary
“Before you enter into prayer, ask thy soul these questions: To what end, O my soul, art thou retired into this place? Art thou not come to discourse the Lord in prayer? Is he present; will he hear thee? Is he merciful; will he help thee? Is thy business slight; is it not concerning the welfare of thy soul? What words wilt thou use to move him to compassion? To make thy preparation complete, consider that thou art but dust and ashes, and he the great God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that clothes himself with light as with a garment; that thou art a vile sinner, he a holy God; that thou art but a poor crawling worm, he the omnipotent Creator. In all your prayers forget not to thank the Lord for his mercies. When thou prayest, rather let thy hearts be without words, than thy words without a heart. Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.”
Footnote
John Bunyan (1628–1688). Known as the tinker of Elstow, Bunyan underwent a dramatic conversion experience and became a leading Puritan preacher. As his popularity grew, Bunyan increasingly became a target for slander and libel and was eventually imprisoned. It was during his time in prison that he commenced his best known work The Pilgrim’s Progress, first printed in 1678.
Attribution
From “Mr. John Bunyan’s Dying Saying: Of Prayer” in The Works of That Eminent Servant of Christ John Bunyan, Volume 1 (Philadelphia: John Ball, 1850), 47.
Further Reading
“Omniscience” and “Sovereignty” in Concise Theology, by J. I. Packer.