| March 18, 2006
Prayerful Thinking
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Augustine was one of the most brilliant Christian thinkers of all time. Interestingly, he did some of his most effective and intimate praying while engaged in deep thought. He was what might be called a "prayerful thinker." Often Augustine began a line of reasoning, then concluded it with a prayer. Here is a sample from Confessions, one of his works on theology:
"Too late came I to love You, O Beauty both ancient and ever new; too late came I to love You. . . . You called to me; yes, You even broke open my deafness. Your beams shined unto me and cast away my blindness."
These are not the dry musings of some pseudo-theologian or armchair philosopher. They are the thoughts of someone with a passionate prayer life.
Prayerful thinking is not unique to Augustine. David pondered the beauty of creation and felt compelled to worship his Creator: "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him?" (Psalm 8:3-4).
As we walk life's journey, our deep thoughts and feelings and our praying can be interwoven. Seeing the beauty of nature, or even solving a problem, can be opportunities for prayerful thinking. —Dennis Fisher
What does it mean that God has "crowned man with glory and honor"? (Psalm 8:5). What does that mean for me today at work and at home?
Prayerful thinking leads to purposeful thanking.
Jesus' Blueprint For Prayer