Praying with your whole being: Evelyn Underhill

After reading excerpts from Evelyn Underhill's "Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Man's Spiritual Consciousness," I found myself more aware of limited prayer experiences. In this reading, I felt challenged to incorporate more of myself, "intellect, emotion, and will" in the spiritual process known as
prayer. Underhill reminds us of the need to give our whole "Self" to God. I also admit that I needed to read it two times before some of her thoughts  connected with me.

Some statements that made me think:
1. "Prayer is nothing else but an ascending . . . of the desire of the heart  into God by withdrawing from earthly thoughts." (And I wonder to myself, "Is it  possible to remove oneself from all earthly thought--since I am but human?"  Does she mean, "earthly" as "worldly and sinful," or "earthly" as "human and  finite"?)

2. The wholeness, sanity, and balance of our existence depend entirely upon the perfection of our adjustment to . . . the steady alternating beat of our outward adoration and our homeward-turning swing of charity. (In this statement, we see a call for balance in our heavenly focus on God and our earthly commitment to
love our neighbor.)

3. Meditation is simply the art of thinking steadily and methodically about spiritual things. (This defines meditation as an intellectual discipline.)

4. Prayer begins as an intellectual adjustment by thinking of God earnestly and humbly to the exclusion of other objects of thought, by deliberately surrendering the mind to spiritual things, by preparing . . . for the infow of new life. (How do we normally prepare and begin our prayer times?)

5. Reason (intellect) comes to the foot of the mountain (where God dwells); will and passion (emotion) climb the slope.

6. The intellect and feeling are not wholly in our control. They fluctuate from day to day. . . . If the worth of our prayer life depended upon the maintenance of a constant high level of feeling or understanding, we would be in a dangerous place.

7. The determined fixing of our will upon God, and pressing him steadily and without deflection; this is the very center and the art of prayer. (Does this place to much emphasis on our own abilities? Where is the discussion on the role of the Holy Spirit on our will and discipline?)

Thus, we use our whole person to pray, but will/choice/commitment/discipline are the heart and soul of a consistent prayer life.

Some things I would add to E. Underhill's thoughts.

1. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in focusing our emotion,intellect, and spirit in prayer? The Spirit guides us when, how, and what to pray. The human will is weak without the under-girding of the Spirit. How can we choose anything and hope to remain faithful if the Spirit of God does not empower our discipline to do so. Yes, we must choose to pray, commit to pray. But our will needs to be transformed. We did not choose God, he chose us. Also, 2 Peter 1:21 reminds us that God does not prophecy through the will or humanity, but through his own will. Yet, we can rejoice that all it takes is faith to call to God, regardless of our mind, emotions, or will--and he will hear and respond to our prayer.

2. I think there a fourth aspect that comes with the intellectual and emotional. It is the physical. The material body in motion before God: standing, kneeling, hands folded, arms raised, face up or down, lying on the
ground. There is a physical nature to the body that would demand its inclusion if the "whole being" of the human is to be addressed in prayer.

Prayer as friendship: George Buttrick

George Buttrick, from his book entitled PRAYER.

"Prayer is friendship with God.  Friendship is not formal, but it is formless: it has its cultivation, its behavior, its obligations, even its disciplines; and the casual mind kills it."  And thus Buttrick embarks on a very inFORMal look at prayer through the template of the Lord's Prayer.  Based on his comments, I recognize that prayer and friendship, as concepts, should have a great deal in common, especially if we believe that prayer is conversation.  There is no relationship without communication.  There is not Christian discipleship without prayer.

 Two things jumped out at me this week, and both of them deal with the question "How can I tell when God is speaking to me?"

1.  Do you take time to listen to God when you pray?  George Buttrick writes, "Intervals of prayer should be filled with meditation.  After thanksgiving we should contemplate God's goodness, and await his word concerning his own gifts.  After confession, we should adore the pardoning Love made known in Christ, and listen for his guidance.  After intercession we should pause to try to see the whole world's need as Christ saw it from his cross.  After petition we should wait again to meditate upon the Will." 

He concludes, "Prayer is listening as well as speaking, receiving as well as asking; and its deepest mood is friendship held in reverence."

If prayer is conversation, then two must communicate.  Spend more time being a good listener to your Heavenly Father.
2.  Do you pray for specific answers to your questions?  How do you know if God is speaking, if you do not know what he will say?  You do not know the Scripture, if you do not know what kind of things God will say.  Also, God may answer many prayers over and over again, but you have not seen or heard his response because you are not looking for the answers he may give.  Buttrick suggests we write down our thanksgivings and praises to God, make a list of individuals who need love (and their needs), and be specific about our prayers.  Specific prayers will lead to clear answers and will address specific issues.  Simply put, James 4:3  "You have not because you ask in the wrong way."

So, we are encouraged this week to pray specifically (while seeking God's word and will) and to pray at times silently--with a listening ear.