I am back from a much needed vacation! Let’s get busy with 10 great quotes from Paul Miller that will help us to consider prayer! All these are taken from his book: The Praying Life.
1. When Jesus tells us to become like little children, he isn’t telling us to do anything he isn’t already doing. Jesus is, without question, the most dependent human being who ever lived. Because he can’t do life on his own, he prays. And he prays. And he prays. Luke tells us that Jesus ‘would withdraw to desolate places.’ (5:16)
2. Jesus’ prayer life is an expression of his relationship with his Father. He wants to be alone with the person he loves.
3. You don’t create intimacy; you make room for it. This is true whether you are talking about your spouse, your friend, or God. You need space to be together. Efficiency, multitasking, and busyness all kill intimacy. In short, you can’t get to know God on the fly. If Jesus has to pull away from people and noise in order to pray, then it makes sense that we need to as well.
4. If you are not praying, then you are quietly confident that time, money, and talent are all you need in life. You’ll always be a little too tired, a little too busy. But if, like Jesus, you realize you can’t do life on your own, then no matter how busy, no matter how tired you are, you will find the time to pray.
5. Consistency is more important than length
6. Prayer = Helplessness
7. Throughout the book of John we see people coming to Jesus because of their helplessness. The Samaritan woman has no water (John 4). Later in that same chapter, the official’s son has no health. The crippled man by the pool of Bethesda has no help to get into the water (see John 5). The crowd has no bread (see John 6). The blind man has no sight (see John 9). And finally Lazarus has no life (see John 11).
8. We forget that helplessness is how the Christian life works.
9. The gospel, God’s free gift of grace in Jesus, only works when we realize we don’t have it all together. The same is true for prayer. The very thing we are allergic to – our helplessness is what makes prayer work. It works because we are helpless. We can’t do life on our own.
10. We tell ourselves, ‘Strong Christians pray a lot. If I were a stronger Christian, I’d pray more, but they pray more because they realize how weak they are. They don’t try to hide it from themselves. Weakness is the channel that allows them to access grace.
Want more quotes from Paul M.? Click here for Paul Miller Quotes Part 1
Now….. which quote do you like from the list of 10 the most? Shoot me a comment below stating which number you like the most and why.
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I would have to say I like number 3 the most. Or rather, I relate to 3 the most. “Efficiency, multitasking, and busyness all kill intimacy.” I find myself trying to “fit prayer in” and try to do it while working or doing other things. It can be done but it does nothing for building intimacy with God. Because we live such busy lives, we need to train our minds to stay focused when spending that time alone with God. I personally find my thoughts wandering and have to constantly reign them in and “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ”. A prayer life does require work but the intimacy gained from it is so worth it!!!
Thanks for commenting Joe. So true! God help us to grow in spending time with God rather than running out to door to live another busy day!
They are all so right on. I’ve read them over al least four times now and I’m zeroing in on number 9. I don’t have it all together, I am helpless and that really shows up big time when I try to fix things on my own. Thankful to be reminded I have a Savior I can go to in prayer for everything. Being given the privilege to pray is an amazing gift of grace.
Amen to that!
Excellent… I’m humbled by all of these. If Jesus is dependent… how much more should we be dependent on him? How much more should I be praying… Thanks for sharing Tim!
You are welcome, thanks for reading!!