A habit of prayer
So I decided it was time to make a new post. I started one last week and wrote myself into a corner. So that may pop up at some point if i can figure out how to write myself out in the meantime I will attempt to write something else. I think I’m going to write about prayer. I think its something that every Christian can do better at. I certainly could. So I’m trying to new things. When I was young and stupid I thought the idea of praying prayers that others had written was stupid. I no longer think that. A big part of my interest in Orthodox Christianity was there apartment dedication to prayer. I’m not sure if there use of ikons and incense is for me. I haven’t tried that yet, its on my to do list. But I have a pile of Orthodox propaganda (thanks to Mark McGuire for supplying it). One of the little booky things is called “Building A Habit of Prayer”. I think that is something that every Christian can/should do. So yesterday i began reading.
Among other things it advocates the use of a prayer rope something my friend Justin has begun using. Prayer ropes are cool, and something I hope to acquire someday. much like a rosary they help you to pray regularly by providing a reminder and a list of sorts. There are a series of knots or beads that you assign various creeds, psalms or prayers to. The idea is to make it through the whole rope every day. You can find some pretty snazzy Anglican beads here for a reasonable price. They are smiler to a rosary or a Orthodox prayer rope.
Some other things you can do to help build a habit of prayer is to write or find a quick prayer and pray it every time you think of it(in an effort to learn to “pray without ceasing”. You can wear a bracelet or rubber band/hair tie etc on your wrist or something to help remind yourself of your prayer. You could also use something like the refrain “Lord have mercy” a popular Orthodox refrain. Since it is so short you can should repeat it several times. In a few of the Orthodox prayers I’ve read its repeated 12 times in 3 series of 4. Its a good little phrase to think meditate on.
There is, I think, no substitution for personal prayer. I think that in heartfelt sincere personal prayer we are the closest to God. These techniques for hepling to build a habit of prayer will help you get into the habit at which point I think it is safe to move on to more personal prayers. But they are useful.
So I guess that’s all for now. Pray and pray often.
