Prayer and Revelation - Online Christian Library

we cannot overemphasize the importance of holding only to Scripture as our ultimate andinfallible standard.The process does not end with reading and listening, which supply the content for ourthinking, and indeed are parts of contemplation itself, since one cannot read or listenwithout thinking at the same time. Indeed, even as you have been reading this book, youhave been practicing biblical contemplation – thinking about the teaching of Scriptureand its implications. However, we must continue to practice contemplation even when weare not reading a book or hearing a sermon. Paul says to Timothy, "Reflect on what I amsaying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this" (2 Timothy 2:7). Spiritual insightusually does not come without rational and deliberate thinking; rather, it is by means ofreasoning from the foundation of scriptural revelation that God will grant us wisdom andknowledge. Thus God indeed governs what each of us knows and understands, butusually not without means such as reading and thinking, which are also the two thingsthat Timothy has to do as indicated in the verse above. This again distinguishes Christiancontemplation from the meditation of the mystics.The writer of Psalm 119 says that he thinks on God's law "all day long" (v. 97), andbecause of this, he is wiser than his enemies and his teachers. Of course, some of you willcomplain that there is no time to think about theology all day along, but I amunsympathetic. W. Bingham Hunter writes: "In contrast to Jesus, most of us are too busycoping with existence to see prayer as vital or essential. But life could be more simple.An older car, a less trendy wardrobe, reupholstered rather than replaced furniture, a littleless meat on the table – changes like this could reduce the need for so much income andperhaps provide more time for prayer." 79Many people wish to better their spiritual and prayer lives precisely to gain these thingsthat he suggests we should let go in order to better our spiritual and prayer lives. ButJesus says, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does notconsist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). If you think that life doesconsist in the abundance of possessions, then you have already fallen into the trap ofgreed. Alas, once we reduce the importance of material things, there remains nomotivation for many people to pray.Maybe there are things that you can do without threatening your standard of living. If youwill stop socializing with unproductive and unspiritual people other than those to whomyou are preaching the gospel, if you will stop watching so much television or readingnewspapers and magazines, then perhaps you will already be adding hours of free time toyour week. Then again, maybe it is necessary for you to make the kind of changes Huntermentions. However, if you are unwilling to discipline yourself or make any sort ofchanges, then you are not serious about the Christian faith, and maybe you are not even aChristian, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21).God says to his people, "Give careful thought to your ways" (Haggai 1:5). Think aboutyour life. But by what standard do we think about anything? Christian conversion itself79 Hunter, God Who Hears; p. 189-190.75