Prayer, Jesus, and Christianity

I just finished a remarkable work on Christian prayer - Letters to Malcom: Chiefly on Prayer, by C.S. Lewis. I have given much thought to the phenomenon of prayer. I am intrigued by the fact that prayer is practiced not just by Christians, but by followers of many different faiths. However, I think prayer remains central to the Christian faith because praying to God quintessentially demonstrates the dual realities of faith on the part of the man (or woman) and his/her dependence on divine grace. I have also been entranced by Psalm 62 and its profound bearing on this particular subject ... the Psalmist appears to assert that the essence of trusting God consists of pouring one's heart out to Him (v.8). If anyone disagrees with this, I would love to hear your thoughts. Anyway, here is my poetic synthesis on prayer.


Incarnate Prayer

In space and time of gracious rhyme
A soulful dance is woven
'Tween God and man on trodden land
The great divide is cloven.

And breaking in to aching din
A broken heart outpoured
A bulwark strong, but pulled along
By stirrings of the Lord.

Ne'er resting still, the besting will
Distracts the mind and heart
But sweet refrains to greet the stains
Resound, yet still apart.

In myst'ry great and desp'rate straits
Divine and human meet
By Jesus Christ, the pleasing price
The fellowship complete.