Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller
Week 3: Chapter 2 — The Nature of Prayer
Read Chapter 2 of Prayer by Timothy Keller. Primary Scripture: Matthew 6:5–13; John 15:1–8.
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Before teaching us how to pray, Keller wants us to understand what prayer actually is—and his answer is both simpler and more demanding than most of us expect. Read slowly and let the definitions do their work.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Keller offers a working definition of prayer as 'continuing a conversation that God has already started through his Word and his grace.' How does framing prayer as a response rather than an initiation change how you approach it?
2.Keller distinguishes between 'the prayer of the mind' (saying correct things to God) and 'the prayer of the heart' (actually communing with God in a way that moves and changes us). Do you recognize that distinction in your own experience? What causes prayer to stay in the mind rather than reaching the heart?
3.Keller engages with the writings of Augustine, particularly Augustine's famous restlessness ('our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee'). How does Augustine's understanding of the soul's longing for God illuminate what prayer is at its deepest level?
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