Watch

Bloom Prayer Chapter 15 &16 (Ordinary and Petitionary) from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

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Read

Preface and Chapter 1 (Simple Prayer)

Chapters 2 and 3 (Prayers of the Forsaken and Examen)

Chapters 4 and 5 (Prayers of Tears and Relinquishment)

Chapters 6 and 7 (Prayers of Formation and Covenant)

Chapters 8 and 9 (Prayers of Adoration and Rest)

Chapters 10 and 11 (Sacramental and Unceasing Prayer}

Chapters 12-14 (Prayer of the Heart, Meditative and Contemplative Prayers}

Praying the Ordinary

Foster suggests overcoming the modern heresy of a 5% spirituality by:

• turning ordinary experiences of life into prayer
• seeing God in the ordinary experiences of life
• praying throughout the ordinary experiences of life

The discovery of God lies in the daily and the ordinary, not in the spectacular and heroic.  If we cannot find God in the routines of home and shop, then we will not find him at all. (p. 171)

We’re challenged to view our work as an asset because it is prayer in action.  Looking through the lens of 1 Cor. 10:31, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God,” Foster encourages us not to disdain work, but to recognize that it came before the Fall, and regardless of what your vocation is, it can be done to glorify God.

The girls mentioned it in the video, but Anthony Bloom’s quote bears repeating:

“A prayer makes sense only if it is lived.  Unless they are ‘lived,’ unless life and prayer become completely interwoven, prayers become a sort of polite madrigal which you offer to God at moments when you are giving time to Him.” (p. 172)

Ways of Praying the Ordinary (pp. 174-75)

1)  Prayer of Action ~ “Each activity of daily life in which we stretch ourselves on behalf of others.”

2)  Seeing God in ordinary life experiences.

3)  When waiting ~ “In waiting we begin to get in touch with the rhythms of life–stillness and action, listening and decision” and when given over to God, it becomes prayer.

4)  In the context of family.   “The earliest alter was the hearth whose open fire burned in the center of the home,” and personally I have often said the dinner table is sacred.

In essence, this chapter focuses our attention on the “everydayness” of prayer; how all of are actions can be captured in prayer.  Aren’t you released from ALL (false) guilt when asked and answered the question:  “What are we to do?” “The best we can!”

Petitionary Prayer

Asking for ourselves = petition

Asking on behalf of others = intersession

Asking is at the heart of both (p. 179)

“Petitionary Prayer remains primary throughout our lives because we are forever dependent upon God.”  (p. 179)   Anybody else wanna shout Amen when they read that?

Foster poo-poos the notion that Petitionary Prayer is “less than” by noting that the Lord’s Prayer is primarily petitionary; but he does address two common problems (p180-181):

1)  Why should we ask God for things when he already knows our needs?

• God likes to be asked.
• God desires authentic dialogue

2)  The concern over “bothering God” with the petty details of my life.

• False humility not to share deepest needs.

Foster takes time to discuss Unanswered Prayer on pages 181-184; this is one section I’d strongly encourage you to read if you’ve struggled with how God answers (or seems not to answer) your prayer; several helpful thoughts to consider:

1)  We sometimes ask for things not in our best interests.

2) The answer to our prayers would be detrimental to others.

3)  Sometimes our prayers are self-contradictory.

4)  Sometimes we aren’t prepared for what we ask.

5)  Many times are prayers ARE answered but we fail to see it.

Discernment is key, a prayer in and of itself.

I had never heard the word “Paternoster” before reading this book!  And yet it’s something every Christian is familiar with:  The Lord’s Prayer!

• It is a total prayer.  “Of its seven perfectly crafted requests, three relate to personal petition and can be summed up in give, forgive and deliver (p. 185).
• Addresses small and big things
• spiritual / material things
• inward / outward concerns

Discuss

These are two of my favorite chapters so far–relatable, thought-provoking, helping me to see the familiar in new light.  Can you choose one over the other?  How would you contrast the Ordinary prayers we learn about in Chapter 15 with Simple prayer we studied in Chapter 1?  How does the study of Petitionary Prayer cause you to look differently at The Lord’s Prayer (or does it?)?  Did anything particularly resonate with you from our Sofa Girls today?

Favorite verse

 “God values the ordinary.”

(From Praying the Ordinary p. 173.)

and I’m throwing in a second because of its huge ramifications–

“Jesus has transfigured the trivialities of everyday life.  Try to imagine what our prayer experience would be like if he had forbidden us to ask for the little things.” 

(Petitionary Prayer, p. 185)

__________

Thank you for sharing posts from this study online–whether emailed, Facebook-liked, Tweeted or Pinned, we’re grateful.

Just a few more chapters, girlieQs and we’ll be drawing to a close.  Until then, we’re blessed to have Julie sharing time with Angie and Jessica as we continue exploring Part III, Moving Outward:  Seeking the Ministry We Need.  

❤,  Robin

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