James E McReynolds

The Joy of Prayer James E McReynolds

Are you enjoying an intimacy with God? The Westminster Confession of Faith stated, "(Humankind's) chief purpose is to glorify God and enjoy God forever. Prayer is not a remedy. Praying becomes a living relationship with the living God. Sharing the whole of our soul is tough work. All of us struggle with prayer. We want God to be closer, to be an intimate companion, who is always present in our lives. We want to be silent with God and knowing God with all our senses. I wondered if God was longing for me. I want to share with you how my own understanding, experience, and practice of prayer have expanded. I have enjoyed bringing all I am, and all I am becoming in relationship with God. I pray with my body and soul and my journey never stops. I pray this book will stir the fires of your own desire for God, encourage you in your own searching.




In my earlier book, The Joy of Spirituality, I shared ways of relating to God. And prayer is at the heart of that deepening and growing relationship. My images of God have changed as the God who is "within me" helps me to know myself as God has known me before my birth. As I observe God in friends and family, I am guided into right relationships with all those I encounter. As I see God in Jesus, I find a clearer relationship with him. As I accept these new images, I will learn more about being intimate with God. I believe God loved me before I loved God. When I anticipate praying with God, I had to begin somewhere just as Jesus' disciples asked questions about how to pray. God wants to be in relationship with me. God knows what I need and who I am. The more of myself I bring, the more joy I experience. I bring all my own emotions, intuitions, imaginations, surrendering to all of who I am and all of whom God is. My lifelong friend Dr. John Killinger said of his writing his book, Bread for the Wilderness, Wine for the Journey, "I knew I had to write a book on prayer, if for no other reason than to sort out my feelings and beliefs on the subject." See page16 of his 1976 book. This work is a must read for a student of prayer. I have a whole shelf in my home library of his published books.




One of the difficult factors in writing a book on prayer is that each person's experience is unique. No two people pray in the same way. No two people have identical experiences of God. No two people have the same gifts with words. None of us have the same disposition toward silence. Generalizations concerning prayer are impossible. We come into God's presence alone. We bring all our graces and our sins. God takes us as we are, loving us as a special child.




Prayer can be private or public. It can be verbal or silent. Prayer embraces all creation as we try to respond to a God who continually bless us and calls us to Ike God's image. Our brief life journey gives us an opportunity to serve and pray.