What's so "good" about off the cuff prayers compared to written ones?

[MoreCoffee]

Okay, I've been lectured by a Pentecostal friend who gets quite concerned that Catholics read prayers and she thinks that is somehow a bad thing compared to off the cuff prayers ... so I got to wondering why she would think such a thing. Is there something in the bible to make her think that way? Is the bible a source for written prayers and if so what would that mean for the theory that off the cuff praying is better?

What's so "good" about off the cuff prayers compared to written ones?

 

[popsthebuilder]

Okay, I've been lectured by a Pentecostal friend who gets quite concerned that Catholics read prayers and she thinks that is somehow a bad thing compared to off the cuff prayers ... so I got to wondering why she would think such a thing. Is there something in the bible to make her think that way? Is the bible a source for written prayers and if so what would that mean for the theory that off the cuff praying is better?

What's so "good" about off the cuff prayers compared to written ones?

They are genuine and from the heart; not simply recited words that loose passion over time with rehearsed repetition.

I don't know that I would say one is better than the other though. If genuine sincere prayer is from the heart and in solitude then I see no problem with it being an actual prayer from scripture at times or even always; though we are told to notice vain repetitions or pray for the sight of others.

 

[popsthebuilder]

I just saw this and figured it was at least relevant. So is reading this prayer? I think it could be.

I know it isn't the Lords' prayer. What are people's thoughts? I found it resonated quite well with me personally.

Psalm: 139. 1. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. 7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8. If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10. Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 13. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18. If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 19. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 20. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. 21. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 22. I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 23. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

 

[psalms 91]

Prayer is just talking with God, doesnt have to be formal and doesnt have to be anything other than normal speech

 

[Imalive]

Okay, I've been lectured by a Pentecostal friend who gets quite concerned that Catholics read prayers and she thinks that is somehow a bad thing compared to off the cuff prayers ... so I got to wondering why she would think such a thing. Is there something in the bible to make her think that way? Is the bible a source for written prayers and if so what would that mean for the theory that off the cuff praying is better?

What's so "good" about off the cuff prayers compared to written ones?

Think it depends on the person. Some like to pray lists, others like to just pray what God wants you to pray for at that moment. I find lists and Bible texts you can pray handy and it's how I learned to pray other than: Lord save and then 10.000 names and tongues cuz I had no clue what else to pray.
With a group I love it when for instance you go pray against terror attacks and then another comes up w a prayer on that subject. I hate just working off the whole list. I never did either if I had to lead the prayer. Pray for the govt. or some nonsense subject. Why? Ppl are dying now. They need to get saved now. If I lead it we'd only pray for souls and souls on the edge of eternity with the help of lists with Bible texts.

 

[TurtleHare]

I heard plenty of off the cuff prayers that have vain repetition of "lettuce" praying God let us worship you God let us love you God let us ask you for whatever we want. I'm betting there ain't a type of prayer God hasn't heard yet and even some of those off the cuff have their basic foundation from the written ones and MoreCoffee maybe you could point that out to your friend?

 

[MoreCoffee]

I heard plenty of off the cuff prayers that have vain repetition of "lettuce" praying God let us worship you God let us love you God let us ask you for whatever we want. I'm betting there ain't a type of prayer God hasn't heard yet and even some of those off the cuff have their basic foundation from the written ones and MoreCoffee maybe you could point that out to your friend?

I've told the story, here in CH, of the Baptist meeting to which several members of my Parish church were invited including myself and at which the host prayed for 25 minutes of the allotted 30 minute prayer time saying variations on "Lord we thank you for the blue sky, the warm sun, the birds and the bees, the food we eat, the air we breathe ..." after which I was not only exhausted (and bored nearly witless) but also forgot to say a hail Mary or two in reply

My experience with off the cuff prayers in many prayer meetings is that they are too long too incoherent and too much like the last prayer said in the meeting. Whatever faults exist in insincere read out loud prayers appear to exist in off the cuff prayers too. How many times have you heard an off the cuff "opening prayer" prior to a sermon that says "Lord we thank you for your word and ask that you guide us in our meditations upon it. Help me to speak your message clearly and let the Spirit rest upon those who hear so that they may wholeheartedly receive the truth of the scriptures with willing hearts and with deep understanding. In Jesus' name. Amen." only more often than not the prayer is not as eloquent as the example I just wrote.

 

[NewCreation435]

Okay, I've been lectured by a Pentecostal friend who gets quite concerned that Catholics read prayers and she thinks that is somehow a bad thing compared to off the cuff prayers ... so I got to wondering why she would think such a thing. Is there something in the bible to make her think that way? Is the bible a source for written prayers and if so what would that mean for the theory that off the cuff praying is better?

What's so "good" about off the cuff prayers compared to written ones?

I think both are fine. Your Pentecostal friend would have been very uncomfortable most likely in a synagogue or temple worship in the Old Testament times when they used many of the psalms as prayers. It doesn't make it better or worse, what matters is that it is from the heart.

 

[MoreCoffee]

From whose heart? The holy scriptures warn of the deceitfulness of the human heart saying "Who can understand the human heart? There is nothing else so deceitful; it is too sick to be healed. So I wonder if being from the heart is such a good thing that it makes an off the cuff prayer superior to a prayer read from a book (including the bible).

 

[popsthebuilder]

From whose heart? The holy scriptures warn of the deceitfulness of the human heart saying "Who can understand the human heart? There is nothing else so deceitful; it is too sick to be healed. So I wonder if being from the heart is such a good thing that it makes an off the cuff prayer superior to a prayer read from a book (including the bible).

Seeing as how the law is written on the heart and mind of the believer; I would think that a thoughtful prayer from the heart of the believer would be more sincere than a recital of ancient words from memory. That isn't to say that said recital of words from memory or from script can't be too heart felt and sincere.

 

[Imalive]

From whose heart? The holy scriptures warn of the deceitfulness of the human heart saying "Who can understand the human heart? There is nothing else so deceitful; it is too sick to be healed. So I wonder if being from the heart is such a good thing that it makes an off the cuff prayer superior to a prayer read from a book (including the bible).

As long as it doesn't contradict the Bible it's good.
Praying for a Mercedes is always good.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s6-AMDN4OG8

 

[popsthebuilder]

As long as it doesn't contradict the Bible it's good.
Praying for a Mercedes is always good.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s6-AMDN4OG8

I almost spewed coffee everywhere.

Lol.

 

[MoreCoffee]

As long as it doesn't contradict the Bible it's good.
Praying for a Mercedes is always good.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s6-AMDN4OG8

That was funny. I hope it wasn't a church "service" ... but even if it was it was good entertainment

 

[MoreCoffee]

Seeing as how the law is written on the heart and mind of the believer; I would think that a thoughtful prayer from the heart of the believer would be more sincere than a recital of ancient words from memory. That isn't to say that said recital of words from memory or from script can't be too heart felt and sincere.

Thoughtful prayer is good whenever the thoughts are godly and I think that godly thoughts are promoted by reading a psalm and a prayer like the Lord's prayer and the heart soon is subdued to the obedience of God when the thoughts are godly and then the written prayer is a prayer of the heart. No matter how you choose to pray if your prayers are motivated by godly devotion and reflect the real desires and needs of others and yourself then it will be a "good" prayer but it is easy to say off the cuff prayers that are empty repetition or senseless words that the person praying no more desires and needs than he/she is thinking godly thoughts motivation for the prayer. When you pray "Our Father who are in heaven ..." and are thinking about the birds and bees the sky and the trees and what's for lunch and how you'll drive home when this boring sermon is all over then the Lord's prayer is as empty and useless as the off the cuff prayer motivated by the same thinking. So I come back to asking what makes off the cuff prayer superior to reading prayers either silently or out loud?

 

[popsthebuilder]

Thoughtful prayer is good whenever the thoughts are godly and I think that godly thoughts are promoted by reading a psalm and a prayer like the Lord's prayer and the heart soon is subdued to the obedience of God when the thoughts are godly and then the written prayer is a prayer of the heart. No matter how you choose to pray if your prayers are motivated by godly devotion and reflect the real desires and needs of others and yourself then it will be a "good" prayer but it is easy to say off the cuff prayers that are empty repetition or senseless words that the person praying no more desires and needs than he/she is thinking godly thoughts motivation for the prayer. When you pray "Our Father who are in heaven ..." and are thinking about the birds and bees the sky and the trees and what's for lunch and how you'll drive home when this boring sermon is all over then the Lord's prayer is as empty and useless as the off the cuff prayer motivated by the same thinking. So I come back to asking what makes off the cuff prayer superior to reading prayers either silently or out loud?

You stated what makes one better as did I.

peace friend

 

[JRT]

My best prayers are completely silent and my very best prayers are entirely wordless.

 

[tango]

Okay, I've been lectured by a Pentecostal friend who gets quite concerned that Catholics read prayers and she thinks that is somehow a bad thing compared to off the cuff prayers ... so I got to wondering why she would think such a thing. Is there something in the bible to make her think that way? Is the bible a source for written prayers and if so what would that mean for the theory that off the cuff praying is better?

What's so "good" about off the cuff prayers compared to written ones?

I don't like written prayers much because it feels to me like I'm saying someone else's prayer rather than my own prayer. For me personally repeating the same prayer over and over turns it into the kind of situation where I switch off my brain and simply recite, rather than thinking about what I'm saying. It seems a shame for a thought out prayer to lose its meaning through repetition.

If someone else likes written prayers I don't have a problem - it's certainly not something I'd say people shouldn't do, it's just that for me personally they don't feel right.

 

[MoreCoffee]

I don't like written prayers much because it feels to me like I'm saying someone else's prayer rather than my own prayer. For me personally repeating the same prayer over and over turns it into the kind of situation where I switch off my brain and simply recite, rather than thinking about what I'm saying. It seems a shame for a thought out prayer to lose its meaning through repetition.

If someone else likes written prayers I don't have a problem - it's certainly not something I'd say people shouldn't do, it's just that for me personally they don't feel right.

I have a prayer book, it has many hundreds of prayers so I cannot see how one would be repeating them unless one is a very very fast reader who can get through the entire book in a matter of minutes and then repeat the process ... bit to each their own. I never quite warmed to the off the cuff prayers said before a sermon at the Presbyterian Church I attended. They seemed even more like learned-by-wrote repetition to me despite different people saying them from week to week. "Lord, we thank you for your word and ask for your guidance as we ....". And the prayers one hears in a prayer meeting are certainly not "better" than the ones written in my prayer book.