There are few things more basic and essential in our walk of faith than prayer. But even though the Bible's teaching seems clear and straightforward, and we have heard many lectures and seminars on the topic, we often find that prayer is still far from easy. And often, we find ourselves going through the motions of prayer, while our hearts are not in it.
In "Praying: Finding Our Way Through Duty to Delight," J.I. Packer (author of "Knowing God") and Carolyn Nystrom search the Scriptures for help in cultivating the practice and lifestyle of prayer. Both authors' genuine reflections resonate with all those whose hearts echo the request of Jesus' disciples, "Lord, teach us to pray."
In the words of Packer and Nystrom, rather than providing a "how to," the book focuses rather on the "who to" aspect of prayer, laying the foundation for effective and in-depth prayer in a Biblical understanding of the character of God.
"Praying" also explores teachings and examples of prayer in the Scriptures, seeking to provide practical models for Christians to imitate and apply in their own prayer lives with God.
The section entitled "For Discussion and Reflection" contains questions corresponding to each chapter in the book, which can be helpful, either for personal reflection or group discussion.