Reading A Praying Life

Considering the company I keep I often receive many recommendations for books to read. When I start to get recommendations for the same book multiple times then I really take notice. Paul E. Miller's book "A Praying Life" is one of those. Over the past several months I have personally received a handful of recommendations. In the world of Evangelical blogging the press is exponentially larger.

About a week back my lovely wife decided to surprise me with an Amazon gift card. I don't believe Gary Chapman has considered that as one of his five love languages (it may be added in an appendix in a forthcoming volume), but he should. Immediately, I bought Miller's book. Another book on prayer is not novel or revolutionary. Neither is the cast of characters assembled to praise the book on the inside pages (Packer, Keller, Longman, Ryken, Tripp). The Table of Contents reveals a familiar structure (32 chapters, conveniently ordered for a month-long devotional reading) and the cover's tag-line a oft-repeated idea: "Connecting with God in a Distracting World".

Despite all these things I am far from cynical. I could easily be; I am prone to it. I think the remedy came in the first few sentences. The opening paragraph is a short one:

"I never started out to write a book on prayer. I simply discovered that I'd learned how to pray. Life's unexpected turns had created a path in my heart to God; God taught me to pray through suffering" (Miller 11).

The year of my life, 2010, has known elevated heights and despairing lows. I have frequented the bleak corners of frustration and hopelessness. I have felt the simple joys of a woman's love. I have experienced the heart-warming lick of an affectionate pet. I have felt confusion, pain and fear. It seems in all of this our Father is teaching me to pray.

I plan to spend each day in one chapter of the book. I hope to use this medium as a means of conversation concerning the chapter of the day. My motivation is self-serving; by expressing my thoughts I hope to squeeze the most from this text. But, I do hope there is secondary blessing for you. I pray my journey thus far and the one ahead might encourage you to press on towards the prize of Christ.

Tomorrow: Chapter One - "What Good Does it Do?"