Prayer is a healthy activity. It keeps thought inspired, buoyant, in a happy, grateful place, which allows one to feel more of God’s dominion.
Since prayer brings great benefit, it stands to reason that the more you pray, the better off you are. But how is on-going prayer possible when there are often so many other demands on our schedule?
Here’s a definition of prayer by Mary Baker Eddy that makes it possible. “Self-forgetfulness, purity, and affection are constant prayers” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 15). Aw, a prescription for constant prayer!
In breaking down this sentence:
Self-forgetfulness isn’t about self-neglect. It’s about putting God first. Listening to divine Mind for direction, finding one’s good in doing good, finding love in expressing divine Love, finding joy in bringing joy to others.
Purity is a clean state of thought. It’s spiritual mindedness, charity, love, morality, and spirituality.
Affection is kindness toward others. It’s thoughtfulness, patience, lending an understanding ear, acting with compassion, goodwill, and forgiveness toward neighbors.
Prayer is not words. It’s the life we live. A life lived with God is a constant prayer. And it brings healthy happy results!
Never underestimate the power of prayer!
Thanks Evan for the reminder.
Thanks Evan sir for reminding us to sip and soak in Godlike thoughts always.
Thanks Evan! So, so, so much for sharing this with us, it’s a great thought for all of us to remember!
There is a good Sentinel Watch podcast this week with Bob Cochran on this topic. Apparently he was on a previous program and mentioned that he spends more than 2 hours in prayer time every day. They received a lot of inquiries from listeners wanting to know more about why and how he devotes so much time to prayer., so they brought him back for further discussion.
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/sentinel-audio/sentinel-watch?year=2023
Today’s post, I noticed, is a repeat of what we received on Sept. 22. But it’s such a vital topic and bears repeating. It received 52 comments that day, let’s see how we do today! Love to all for a prayer-filled, uplifted day.
Evan, what a powerful post on living a life of constant prayer.
A sense of separation makes prayer a petition TO something or someone, a plea or request to a distant God. I find comfort in knowing that we are always in the infinite ALL, not apart and wishing for a better connection. Asking God, “what do You see here,” puts us in the spiritual realm, praying (affirming, acknowledging) FROM the perspective of our real position, forever held in Love, eternally embraced by good. Hymn 135: “I know no life divided…” God’s view is the goal of constant prayer.
Well said William. It’s important to begin rightly in our prayers. Perfect God, Perfect Man (Woman, Child, Pet, Situation). No separation there, or need to seek a connection to God. “I and my Father are One.” (John 10:30)
Thank you for this clarifying and inspiring thought Willam E.!
Such beautiful thoughts here this morning! (Looking forward to hearing the link, Rose,
Thank you!)
I was thinking how life is a bit like doing a puzzle, although with God’s guidance and
Love, …prayer, it is a divine governance and experience.
We open the box, dump out the mountain of 500 or 1,000 or whatever, disconnected
pieces and may feel totally overwhelmed. Where to begin?? … But piece by piece –
(like day by day), we start to make sense of it, first assembling the border from which
the pieces are included (within God’s realm). Each piece has it’s perfect place (we all
have our place as a child of God’s universal family). We can not force a piece to fit where
it does not belong (God has prepared for us – the “Big Picture”, if you will, of how things
are in His plan … Love’s work and Love must fit). Sometimes the pieces connect and
flow easily (when we are all “prayed up”), but other times, even though there Appears to
be trouble with the pieces (little mind Trying to interfere with discordant thoughts), we
progress on with connecting more and more pieces we Can figure out. Little by little,
our reality (God’s reality) and Love for us … display a beautiful design (prayer by prayer)
until the complete puzzle is finished and every piece is in it’s perfect place, where before
all we saw was a bunch of challenges, when we first began. The more pieces we get put
together, (prayers we see enlightened), the easier the outlined plan becomes) and we move
along faster, with more confidence and accomplishment.
Although God’s plan and Love is with us all along, we step by step see the pieces become
more apparent to Our view with each piece (prayer) becoming more visible and synergistic
in its entirety.
Loved your wonderful analogy Carol! 🙂
Thank you Evan. Thank you all. This is great. Getting more hints on prayer is a necessity. Prayer is clearer to me now than in the past. The Sentinel watch of this week., also threw more light on what prayer is all about. Our master Jesus proved it in his teaching and works.
“How God sees you” by Annette Bridges:
https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/A-Christian-Science-Perspective/2012/0824/How-God-sees-you
Thanks “J” for this article, and I am always glad and thankful when the article is written simple and clear to understand. This is such a one.
Am always very grateful to you, dear Evan, when you teach us what really praying is all about!
It is not just the words of prayer, it consists of good deads and more as you explain so very clear.
Dear Rose, it is very interesting what Bob Cochran tells us in the Sentinel Watch discussion.
He is praying each day at least 2 hours. I think that is possible, as you must not pray these 2 hours at one time. One could pray 4 times a day for half an hour, that is do-able I think. It is important to do that, as also Mrs. Eddy says that the we shall pray daily very diligently for ourselves which benefits us and others as Evan says here lovingly.
I love this hymn # 285 by Norman Greenwood:
Prayer is the heart’s sincere desire,
Uttered or unexpressed;
The motion of a hidden fire
that trembles in the breast.
Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
And prayer’s sublimest strain doth reach
The Majesty on high.
Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath,
The Christian’s native air;
His watchword, overcoming death;
He enters heaven with prayer.
Lovely afternoon or evening to you all! Here it is midnight and bedtime. 🙂
Love your analogy Carol!! ….Blessings to you!
Thank you, Linda. Sometimes the puzzlement is so questioning,
so contradictory, dubious, not understanding and leaves one
wondering what is going on – true puzzles in life. Some puzzle
pieces do not seem to fit together anywhere and things just do
not feel right. One searches for the [T]ruth of where the piece
belongs, but it seems so uncertain, so ambiguous, with mixed,
conflicting messages – does it fit or doesn’t it? and we seem to
not have a clue where it goes or even If it belongs t here. I have
taken a puzzle before (gave up on it, like trying to do with mortal
little mind), because none of the pieces were matching . (Maybe
someone in the local church thrift shop was able to figure it out),
where I donated it. I’ve also done puzzles when after completing,
one piece was missing or demolished to bits by a dog.
I think we have a lot to learn from puzzles. I like my above description
much better, but “human” life does present issues that often challenge
our thoughts and thus our actions. It can seem like a roller coaster of
ups and downs, but turning to Spirit is really the only solution in any
regard, especially when little (mortal) mind can seem so upsetting in
trying to get us off a path to Truth.
LOL, wonderful timing, this piece – I’ve been working on a Wednesday lesson titled: How much should we pray? Thanks Evan!
♥️
Thanks to all for your comments. A poem that I have treasured for many years is, “Self-forgiveness” by Ginny Luedeman, in the
Sentinel, July 18, 2005. I don’t know how to furnish the link, but
maybe someone else can.
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/wdv7p5trb0?s=copylink
And there’s also, The habitual struggle to be always good is unceasing prayer.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 4:12–13)
thank you everyone.. Like Otis Redding, I was sitting on the dock in the bay with mist doing a marvellous show and from the’ books to take’ shelf in the islands freight shed.. was Dan
Browns book, The Lost Symbol..not the Da Vinci Code..Any references to the Big Thought,
so needed Mrs Eddy, seems about… ‘God coming to Man.. Instead of Man going to God..
Humility and meekness, that getting away from self, isn’t seen as the Grand idea, yet.
To thank God every moment, is that the prayer?
.. that Its not up to us.. is so wonderful, To be on ones knees.
Be-ing.., such a miracle..one needn’t roar like a lion,
so i sat and opened up.
that ‘OPEN’ sign we see, where we walk into stores through doorways, what a joy to see these doors as Spiritual, instead all the lists to pick up ‘things’ , … would be the seeing everyone, Home.
for Thanksgiving
Whole Good Heavenly with Health
Here’s a definition of prayer by Mary Baker Eddy that makes it possible. “Self-forgetfulness, purity, and affection are constant prayers” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 15). Aw, a prescription for constant prayer!
In the eternal SPA