QUESTION 19
Are
Prayer Recitations and Prayer Books Necessary?
We must keep in mind that
we are under a different administration and operate with an altogether
different mode from the others that have preceded or that will follow.
As such we cannot randomly adopt restrictions and regulations for worship
from other economies. Worship at Jerusalem constituted a set, or system,
of observances that was God-determined for that time. The Circumcision
believers still centred their worship in this God-appointed location. But
Christ had indicated to the Samaritan woman at the well that the time was
coming when this system would be set aside. By the time John had written
his account of Christ's ministry on earth, this had already become
fact.
Jn.4:20-24
Our fathers worship in this mountain,
and you say that in Jerusalem
is the place where one must worship."
Jesus is saying to her,
"Believe Me, woman, that, coming is an hour
when neither in this mountain
nor in Jerusalem shall you be worshiping the Father.
You are worshiping that
of which you are not aware;
we are worshiping that of
which we are aware, for salvation is of the Jews.
But coming is the hour,
and
now is, when the true worshipers
will be worshiping the Father
in
spirit and truth,
for the Father also is seeking
such to be worshiping Him.
God is spirit, and
those who are worshiping Him must be worshiping in spirit and truth."
Rites and rituals and ceremony
are no more a part of the worship of God - or, at least, it should
not be for us. A 'recitation' obviously denotes prayers said by
rote, in robotic repetition. Is God hard of hearing, or are we? Do we have
the effrontery to address Him in a way He has declared to have been set
aside, not valid anymore where we are concerned?
Though it would be good,
and advisable, to prepare a formal address for some human dignitary, whether
to curry favour or for fear of repercussions, one could hardly use the
same script to address that same personage on another occasion without
drawing justified indignation.
The use of prayer books,
and of formulae couched in religious terms, falls under this category.
These become crutches without which we cannot do. We risk losing the ability
to be spontaneous, speaking from the heart and mind, opening ourselves
with confidence to God's scrutiny. God knows we are just what we
are. He has made us this very way according to His schedule. He
does not compel us to pray. Neither does He want words that are not from
the heart. He needs no pretences. He does not demand that we pray to Him
at certain times or at certain seasons. But, when we do approach Him, it
must be in spirit and truth!
September 2001
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