Wow, looking at my margin notes for this book, I may have to split this review into parts.
At first glance, you might think that Six Prayers God Always Answers, by Mark Herringshaw and Jennifer Schuchmann, is going to be just another book on prayer and how to prayer. You crack open the pages expecting a kind of self-help book for a more active and powerful prayer life. It is actually nothing of the sort.
Starting with a simple, but not completely formed idea, that “Prayer doesn’t work. God works.” we are taken on a ride through page after page of anecdotes and Bible stories that reflect different kinds of prayers we often breathe throughout our lives. I appreciated how the authors began by talking about prayer in general, its history, its language, and most importantly what prayer is and what it is not.
At the beginning, they point to illustrations of great “prayer warriors” throughout history, citing a story of two monks who made great personal sacrifice to live lives of prayer and devotion. In stating exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to read from this book, they authors related that many well-intentioned pastors tell stories like this from the pulpit in an effort inspire their people toward a deeper prayer life. In reality, since they are holding up such and exemplary, yet rare, example, they are actually turning people off from prayer. These fantastic stories of faith make the average Christ-follower feel inadequate and they decide to give up.
“Prayer isn’t accomplished by some divine formula. Its power isn’t amplified if we assume some sort of ascetic or monastic posture.”
Graciously, the authors point out that examples of this sort emphasize style over substance. The truth is, as they relate, is that prayer should be like communicating with a lover. Prayer is a conversation with God, and there is no formal presentation necessary to a prayer encounter with God. How can we rest on formality when prayer is an intimate encounter that literally makes us naked before God, stripping away every part of us that is not real and leaving us bare. Just try to be formal when you’re buck naked. Go ahead, try it.
What the authors posit is that prayer is an instinctual thing, built into the very core of humanity. How can this be said when it seems so few people pray? While not excusing such things, there is a list running throughout the book of statements we often view as profane that may actually be instinctual prayers to the Creator.
“A near miss at a busy intersection and someone screams, ‘Oh, my god.’ An employer breaks a promise and the victim mutters, ‘Oh, my god.’ A patient hears a medical report, covers her mouth, and weeps, ‘Oh, my god.’”
Sometimes, in our polished-to-perfection, stick-in-the-mud-pharisaical-perfection, we automatically think that these people are just “taking the Lord’s name in vain.” What about when we hear expressions made in the heat of the moment. “God, help me. I’ll never do it again.” “God, are you there?” “Goddamn it!” “Save me, God!” “Please, God!” “Oh god, you’re beautiful.”
“What if these are really prayers?” the authors ask.
“Does a father stop listening to his child because the kid is swearing at him? Or is he able to see beyond the pain and the hurt that life has inflicted, to see it as a cry of a beloved child, wounded, crying out to Abba? Could Jesus see these outbursts as a cry of a wounded brother or sister? How do we know what is in the heart of those who utter such words? Do we even know our own hearts? We might just be condeming the prayers of a hurting child who is crying out, ‘Lord, forgive me.’”
Alright, I’ve decided this review is turning into a two or three parter at the very least. Maybe a week-long series? Either way, here’s a taste of a book I highly recommend to anyone who wants to be challenged to rethink their prayer life.
Have a nice weekend.
