We've already prayed for the preacher before he gets up to speak. But he needs a little more time to collect his thoughts. So he says another little prayer, 30 seconds after the previous prayer. Who is listening to this prayer? He's not, he's just giving himself a breathing gap. We're not. Perhaps the angels in heaven?
The bounce-the-ball-before-serving prayer
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7 comments:
Spurgeon seemed held the view that he'd rather pray and let a layman speak, than let a layman pray and him preach.
Which is all the more interesting given Spurgeons gifts in preaching.
Don't seem to be too many people who hold such a view these days.
wow, this is too cynical for my liking. Prayer is prayer no matter what the context.
Sorry, stu. Didn't want to show any disdain for prayer.
But isn't it possible to bring dishonour to prayer _while praying_? Jesus seems to say so in Matthew 6...
Another thing a lecturer pointed out to me is when people pray before beginning preaching, and then *after they've prayed*, they say "Now let's begin", as if the prayer wasn't really a significant part of things. She said it cos I was guilty of it ;-).
I didn't think you were showing disdain for prayer as much as for the prayer.
I have a particular barrow to push here cause I disagree with the it's-stupid-to-say-grace-at-tea-time-because-it-lacks-sincerity argument. I think we lose more than we gain with such "insights" that stop us praying.
Having said that, your observation is both amusing and an encouragement to thoughtful prayer.
oops.
"...as much as for the pray-er"
I think there's a difference between making a thoughtful and sincere decision to adopt a routine (eg saying grace, using the Prayer Book) which might lead to occasional less-then-ideal instances of prayer.
But I don't think the bounce-the-ball prayer is a conscious routine... it's turning prayer into an 'um'.
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