angry young ben

I was just subjected to an enormously frustrating Bible Study. We're using one of the Willow Creek books which is, for the most part, quite good. But tonight... tonight...faw.

The study was on what the author called "Simple Prayer." This was defined as the honest presentation of ourselves to God, with no pretensions, no worry about motives or over-boldness, no masks: only pouring out all of who we are before the Almighty.

Sounds good? Sounds like rubbish. Plain and simple.*

First of all, there is no such thing as "non-pretentious" prayer. Prayer is, if nothing else, an excercise in pretension, the Universe's Grand Charade. We are pathetic wretches and rebels--scabby, twisted, breath reeking sewer and lips dripping slime. Yet we come boldly--BOLDLY!--before the throne of God, claiming SONSHIP! By His grace and blood, we claim this. We are viewed wearing masks. And this is, for the moment, precisely what it should be. What would prayer be if not pretention?

But perhaps the author was not considering the metaphysical aspect of prayer. If this is the case, I contend that he has left out the most important part of what prayer is...but no matter. He will have escaped my scrutiny for the moment. But only for the moment. Because even considered practically, in prayer we must be pretentious. For we are legion. Which "self" will we present to God? The petty self? The prideful self? Or perhaps the carnal, the lusty, or the avaricious self? Certainly not. We must ignore--shut out--beat down all of our less pure motives. Will we ever shut them out entirely? Of course not--not this side of eternity. But that's no excuse not to try.

Because there are two types of pretension in prayer. The first is the Pharisee in the temple, who is, quite honestly, expressing himself to God. He is full of sin, derision, and pride...and quite honestly expresses that. Yet God does not hear his prayer. The second kind is the publican, who exemplifies just the kind of pretension I treated on above. The result? God is pleased, and the publican goes home justified. The distinction is subtle, but important. The hateful mockery of a rebellious slave and the reverent play-acting of a child both mimic and pretend to the actions of the parent/master. Yet it would be a monumental ass not to see the difference between the two.

Pant...pant...growl.

Ok. I'm about done.

Fact is, Scriptures are full of examples of "honest, simple prayers" with which God was rather unpleased. Look at Job, at Martha, at Peter, the wife of Zebedee..at...at, even the Lord's mother! All of them...EVERY ONE received rebuke for their "honest" sentiments and feelings. "Don't censor your feelings" says the study's author. What then, I beg you, ARE we to censor? What we are not feeling?

A lot of this traces its roots, in my mind, to a pansy, stunted Christianity very popular today. "Being better doesn't make God love you more", "God accepts you for who you are, not who you should be", "Of course we'll never be perfect." True enough statements, bare and naked. Unfortunately, they are decidedly LOADED statements, with clear-cut implications: "Don't worry about being better" "Don't worry about who you should be" and "Therefore, we should not strive for perfection--what umbridge against the grace of God!"

Tripe, pure and simple. You say this, you undermine 95% of the New Testament (probably 99% excluding Paul), not to mention the old. Furthermore, you cut off the branch you are sitting on. If we ought not worry about morality and what we "ought" to be...the phrase "we ought not worry" has become meaningless. What price for a manly Christianity, one that says "Of course I'm saved by grace. Of course any positive change in me is, directly or indirectly, the result of Christ. And of course I'll never be perfect. Now let's see how close I can get."

Peace,
Ben

*in case you didn't notice, this guy's proposition is self defeating. He calls for prayer without restrictions...which is, of course, a restriction on prayer. What if I don't WANT to pour out all of me to the Almighty? I can't both pour it out and not pour it!

p.s. the study also contained this absolutely asinine bit about praying to God when we're "dwelling on sin" and even sinning. I know well what it is like to pray beset by sin and temptation--that happened very poignantly just today--to pray "Save me, Oh God, for the waters overwhelm my soul"--nothing makes more sense. But to pray while sinning and dwelling on sin? I'm not sure if that's even possible. And if it is, Isaiah 1 doesn't give us much hope that such prayer would be efficacious.