quotations about prayer
Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.
CORRIE TEN BOOM
attributed, Pleasant Dreams: nighttime meditations for peace of mind
Every person has his own ideas of the act of praying for God's guidance, tolerance, and mercy to fulfill his duties and responsibilities. My own concept of prayer is not as a plea for special favors nor as a quick palliation for wrongs knowingly committed. A prayer, it seems to me, implies a promise as well as a request; at the highest level, prayer not only is a supplication for strength and guidance, but also becomes an affirmation of life and thus a reverent praise of God.
WALT DISNEY
Deeds Rather Than Words
Now, prayer, in the most general and abstracted notion of that word, may be described: the speech of the rational creature unto God, whether conceived in the heart, or uttered by the mouth; whereby we either celebrate his amiable perfections, confess our own defects, implore his divine power for the mercies we want, or thank him for the blessings we have received.
WILLIAM MCEWAN
"On Prayer", Select Essays Doctrinal & Practical on a Variety of the Most Important and Interesting Subjects in Divinity
In memorizing the prayer, it may be helpful to remind yourself that you are not addressing some extraterrestrial being outside you. The kingdom of heaven is within us, and the Lord is enshrined in the depths of our own consciousness. In this prayer we are calling deep into ourselves, appealing to the spark of the divine that is our real nature.
EKNATH EASWARAN
God Makes the Rivers Flow
The most meaningful and spiritual prayers I have experienced contained many expressions of thanks and few, if any, requests.
DAVID A. BEDNAR
"Pray Always", October 2008
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
BIBLE
James 5:16
It is not well for a man to pray cream, and live skim milk.
HENRY WARD BEECHER
Life Thoughts
The prayer that yields the richest rewards of grace is the prayer we pray for our enemies.
CROFT M. PENTZ
The Complete Book of Zingers
Let us never forget to pray. God lives. He is near. He is real. He is not only aware of us but cares for us. He is our Father. He is accessible to all who will seek Him.
GORDON B. HINCKLEY
Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes
It may be that ministers really think that their prayers do good, and it may be that frogs imagine that their croaking brings spring.
ROBERT G. INGERSOLL
"Which Way?"
Prayer is ecstatic communication with your innernavigational computer.
TIMOTHY LEARY
Your Brain Is God
Prayer is the stimulant of the feeble.
ABRAHAM MILLER
Unmoral Maxims
As a coal is revived by incense, so prayer revives the hopes of the heart.
JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE
The Maxims and Reflections of Goethe
Whooah, we're half way there
WOOOOAH Livin on a prayer
BON JOVI
"Livin' on a Prayer"
A lot of folks would do more prayin' if they could find a soft spot for their knees.
KEN ALSTAD
Savvy Sayin's
It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.
MAHATMA GANDHI
Young India, January 23, 1930
Prayer must never be answered: if it is, it ceases to be prayer and becomes correspondence.
OSCAR WILDE
attributed, The Epigrams of Oscar Wilde
Prayer is the most direct expression of the religious consciousness.
LOUIS BERKHOF
Biblical Archaeology
In prayer the lips ne'er act the winning part
Without the sweet concurrence of the heart.
ROBERT HERRICK
Hesperides
And from the prayer of Want, and plaint of Woe,
O never, never turn away thine ear!
Forlorn, in this bleak wilderness below,
Ah! what were man, should Heaven refuse to hear!
JAMES BEATTIE
The Lay of the Last Minstrel