See link before reading this article.
Articles like this one frankly drive me nuts. Certainly we can pray “spontaneously from the heart,” but if anyone wants to pray the Lord’s Prayer verbatim, then pray it with all your heart! I’m sick of this mindset that practically criminalizes praying the Lord’s Prayer, or using memorized prayers, or a prayer book. For Pete’s sake, have you never been so weary that you didn’t know what to pray, yet feel the need, but the Lord’s Prayer or the 23d Psalm came to mind, and it was prayed from the heart in a state of exhaustion?
And how do you know that praying it does not instill its “teaching” into you in profound ways, since it is God’s Word, taught by the 2nd person of the Holy Trinity Himself to His disciples. It’s not just a template or pattern! If the Lord gave it thus to His disciples, it should be good enough for us. Just because it may be said word for word does not mean it’s done mechanically.
I have been in nursing homes and prayed the Lord’s Prayer with residents who do not know their name or where they are, they are so far gone in dementia, and ordinarily could not speak. But as they hear the words, they perked up and recited it along with me! And there was a sense of God’s presence so strong right then and there. Think that recited prayer was not heard? Think that wasn’t a miracle? Think again!
IMO, these kinds of articles which supposedly “instruct” people in some ways make things more difficult and condemn childlike faith. It’s almost bordering on a sort of legalism that says, “You have to pray our way, so you can only pray spontaneously.”
Hogwash.
I suppose it’s also a crime to chant the Psalms per this mindset. Or pray the Scripture. Something else to demonize?
Another rant for another day.
Into And Out Of The Blue 