Meditative Prayer

Book excerpt: Our prayers should go as deep as our souls. Spiritual disciplines are simply ways to open ourselves to God. They help us become aware of the many ways God speaks to us and provide us with ways to respond to God. This book explores and explains how the historical disciplines and perspectives of the Christian faith can deepen both our walk with God and our community with others In today's society we ore often handicapped in our spiritual growth by too narrow a horizon when it comes to spiritual practices. Each generation suffers a kind of collective amnesia, forgetting the practices and perspectives that nourished countless followers of Christ in centuries past. Rediscovering these skills is one way to respond to our culture's--and our own--deep spiritual hunger. While it is seemingly preposterous for us to suppose we can interact with the God of this universe, Scripture repeatedly invites us to do that very thing. Prayer is not a minor idea tucked into the cracks of the text; it is central, normative, and expected. Why is it, then, that our prayers are so often dry and difficult? In Meditative Prayer, you'll discover those ways of prayer that make use of your mind and imagination, that address your needs as well as strengthen your spirit. By drawing from a number of different sources--from Scripture, from wise men and women who have gone before, and from one another--this study guide will enable your soul to drink deeply from the inexhaustible well of prayer. Though you can use this guide for a personal journey of prayer, it is ideally suited for exploration with a small group of like-minded friends.