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Praying

Finding our way from duty to delight

Spiritual wrestling match

PRAYING
Finding our way from duty to delight
By J.I. Packer & Carolyn Nystrom
IVP. 290 pages. £9.99
ISBN 1 84474 142 7

Carolyn Nystrom has worked into book form a set of talks on prayer given by Dr. Packer in such a way that the co-authors at times speak individually of their experiences, while the content remains essentially Packer’s.

Their stated purpose is to tackle the paradox of why prayer, surely a natural activity for a child of God, constantly proves in practise a struggle and a duty rather than a delight. The book is not a manual on prayer and in no way an introduction to the subject for a young Christian. Rather it is a deeply challenging, yet encouraging, call to spiritual self-examination with the goal of a renewed and heartfelt trust in the triune God expressed in sincere and whole-hearted prayer.

The book starts by reminding us of the God we pray to (wonderfully with eight truths about God all beginning with ‘p’). It goes on to look at difficulties and digressions in our Christian walk that affect our praying and has helpful chapters on meditation on Scripture, praise and, interestingly, on complaining to God. One chapter specifically addresses a prayer check-up, which is really more of a spiritual overhaul of every area of our lives, our faith, humility, repentance and love. It’s challenging stuff! In fact the whole book makes us face the reality and deceptiveness of our sin and then focuses on and glorifies the Saviour.

This is not a book for light reading. It is enriched throughout by extensive and helpful quotations and illustrations from a wide range of sources, including Puritan writers, Pilgrim’s Progress, C.S. Lewis, the Westminster Confession, Martin Luther, as well as carefully chosen hymns. The psalms have provided a rich source of material and Dr. Packer has not been afraid to quote from more unusual sources like Pope Gregory the Great.

This is a book I would definitely recommend for those who have been Christians for a while, who want to grapple with some tough issues and get to know the Lord better. It calls for a single-hearted response — for us to be, in the words of our evangelical forebears, serious about our discipleship.

Jan Lawes,
involved in the women’s work at Emmanuel Church, Wimbledon, London