This is rather a delicate subject on which to write. Prayer is so personal, so spontaneous, so heartfelt, that one is diffident about intruding upon such a matter. Ecclesial prayer, however, is so important a part of our devotions that we feel sure that all desire to give of their best in this service.
We ask, then, for the forebearance of all concerned. All of us Who may be called upon to offer prayer should give careful thought to the subject. Praying publicly is, as all know who perform it, an highly emotional act. Emotion is intensified by our self-consciousness. We are too much aware of the congregation and too little aware of God. Oftentimes, the most taciturn wax eloquent when asked to pray. The result is often too flowery, too verbose, too repetitive, and far too lengthy.
The ideal of prayer was given to us by the Lord in the pattern prayer. What all of us need to do is to study its style—its literary style, if you like. It is a masterpiece of brevity. But brevity in prayer requires self-control and confidence. Confidence, that is, in God’s ability to understand our needs before we ask. We lack the faith to believe that “Give us our daily bread” is sufficient. If we pray for the sick we feel it necessary to explain what we want doing. “Heal the sick” seems too brief. Yet it is more than enough. We launch into details of ecclesial activity, when all we need say is “Prosper the works of this ecclesia”. But, again, we cannot convince ourselves that this is enough. We ask God to minister to our temporal necessities, when all we mean is “Give us our daily bread”. We say the same thing often in four or five different ways. But who is impressed? Certainly not the Father.
The importance of style is paramount. How often we have been impressed by the natural reticence and simplicity of the novice. But in a few years he acquires very Ecclesial-Prayer-bosity, garnished with stereotyped cliches, and the earlier simplicity is gone.
Again, in the matter of giving thanks for the emblems, it is important to take thought. All we are required to do, in the simplest manner, is to give thanks. We are not asked to give another presidential prayer, only to give thanks. We are not, if giving thanks for the wine, asked to repeat all that the previous brother has said, and which might have been omitted anyway. We should try to draw a distinction between the bread and the wine. In the bread we see the crushing of sin in the flesh, the vindication of God, the whole meaning of Christ’s sacrifice. In the wine we see the confirmation of the Abrahamic covenant, the things of the kingdom, the blessed hope of a Divine nature.
Let us make this subject one for serious attention to the edification of all and the Father’s blessing.
Fellowship with the Maker and Brethren