A Hearty Desire to Pray

Here’s something not every New Frontiers Church leader will say: I sometimes use the Common Book of Prayer to help me pray.  Not often, but now and again, I’ll pick it up, flick through and use it for inspiration.  And although the language is archaic, the meaning of the prayers are excellent and extremely helpful.

Here’s one I read this week.

O LORD, we beseech thee mercifully to hear us; and grant that we, to whom thou hast given an hearty desire to pray, may by thy mighty aid be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

One thing I love about this prayer is that it recognises that the very desire to pray is a gift from God.  God has given us a “hearty desire to pray”.  I just spent ten or so minutes thanking God for the desire to pray that God has given me and asking for him to increase it.  I’d love it if Christ Church Fareham was known as a church with a hearty desire for prayer, so let’s pray for that!