Book Review – Praying the Bible
I have always felt that reading books on how to maintain a consistent prayer life is counterproductive. Prayerlessness is often not an intellectual issue but rather an experiential one. If so, how does providing someone who struggles with the discipline of consistent prayer the discipline of consistent reading actually help? The issue here is consistency, right? I’ve never thought books were the right solution, at least not until I read this particular book.
In his work on Prayer, Don Whitney has created a true gem for every Christian household. The book is written in a simple and understandable manner, with a practical approach that makes it valuable for Christians of all ages, from the youngest to the oldest. It offers guidance and insights that can truly assist individuals in their prayer journey.
Often the issue of a consistent prayer life is not an issue of the heart but an issue of the method. That’s at the crux of this book. This isn’t a book for pretending Christians, but for those who love Jesus. And for such, the difficulty is in the lack of novelty or the vicariousness of the prayer itself. As Whitney points out, when we pray the same old things about the same old things, it shouldn’t surprise us that we are bored to pray.
So, the author takes us to the Bible’s book of prayers, the Psalms. Praying the Bible is exactly what the title says. No reader with a genuine conscience to improve their prayer life will come away disappointed after reading this book.