Tim Chester, Into His Presence: Praying with the Puritans

Tim Chester, Into His Presence: Praying with the Puritans (The Good Book Company, 2022) hb with ribbon 207pp

 

I’ve been enjoying using some of these prayers each morning on holiday.

 

In contrast to Banner of Truth’s Valley of Vision, each prayer is based on the work of a particular puritan author. Citations and brief biographical sketches are provided at the back.

 

These eighty prayers are grouped in to sixteen sections such as praise to the Father, gratitude, confession, consecration, for times of temptation, need, anxiety, sickness, for the church, the Lord’s Supper, God’s word, morning and evening, for work, mealtimes etc., so readers might like to choose a prayer from a number of sections each day or look up prayers that might suit their circumstances.

 

Often the prayers express something strikingly or provoke further reflection.

 

Even if we are diligent in daily prayer, these short pieces might prompt us to pray more deeply. For example, I would normally pray for all those with whom I will meet or interact in the coming day, that I might be blessing to them today, or for forthcoming church meetings or services. But Samuel Rutherford is richer: “Lord, grant that the meeting of your people may be a trysting-place where we may feast together, and drink that pure water of life, that flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” (p31)

 

With Philip Dodderidge we might pray: “Oh, in what language shall my flame break forth? What can I say but this, that my heart admires you, and adores you, and loves you? My little vessel is as full as it can hold; and I would pour out all that fullness before you, that it may grow capable of receiving more and more.” (p47)

 

Rather than praying merely for God’s wisdom and help, and for godliness, these prayers might encourage us to meditate on what Christ-likeness would mean for us.

 

I was struck by prayer number 28, from Thomas Watson, which is given the title “Holy Fire”. We pray that our obedience might be free, cheerful, willing, devout, fervent, sincere and not merely for outward appearances or recognition. That we might love our duty. That our hearts might boil over with hot affection for the Lord, that there might be fervent fire upon our sacrifice.  May the beauty, wisdom, holiness and mercy of Christ draw out our love like a magnet. May we ardently desire communion with Christ and hate all that grieves him or separates us from him.

 

Prayer 34 (Thomas Brooks) asks that we might see sin in its true colours. That we might see the sharp hook when the devil presents the tempting bait. That we might see the poison hidden in the golden cup. That we might not regard the prospective pleasures of sin, but the misery which sin brings. Let us not play with the bait which Satan holds out to us. May we see sin as we will one day see it: as bitter, ugly and dreadful. May we see what sin cost our Saviour, though Satan may dress it up in fine colours. May these considerations stir up our souls against sin, that we may flee temptation and use all holy means to subdue and destroy it.

 

A frequent theme is that Jesus meets all our needs. He is bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, shelter for the afflicted, home to the lost, rest for the weary, medicine for the sick. When our lives are so often reasonably comfortable and feel okay, we might do well to recall a time when we have been really tired, or hungry, or fearful, and to see in this a picture of the want which Jesus supplies. As George Swinnock puts it, Jesus is “a universal medicine against all sorts of miseries.” (p98) Not that Jesus is there just to make us happy, but that all our true misery can be traced to sin. Jesus is “silver, gold, honour, delight, food, raiment, house, land, peace, wisdom, power, beauty, father, mother, wife, husband, mercy, love, grace, glory, and infinitely more than all these.”