Lord , Lord , Lord

Unfortunately, yes. It drives me crazy! A variation sprinkles in "Dear Father".

Prayer is conversation with God. No one talks to another by calling them by name every other word.

Some do it out of nerves, but others have learned this and think that is how you pray. Still others do it to sound important.

 

Another overused filler word: "just." As in, "Lord, we just want to thank you, etc."

 

Add me to the list of those who can't stand this verbal tick.

 

That's just cause we want to make sure He's still listening to us.:laugh:

I do this occassionally, though I try not to.

My bigger problem is that I sometimes get into a preaching rythym when I'm praying. I do it subconsciously without even thinking about it.

I won't fault anyone for the way they pray in public. I'm just happy they're willing to speak publically to their Lord. If they get a little nervous during such (who wouldn't when you realize who you're talking to), that won't hurt me, or them, or the cause one iota.

 

This brings up the larger topic of prayer language (no, not "private" prayer language, a la the SBC IMB, don't want to go there!). Why are we so stilted when we pray publicly? I agree that we ought to be reverent, but why so thee-thou, if-it-be-thy-will, stilted?

Picture a young man approaching his father to ask for the car keys for Friday night's date: "Dear father, I do thank thee for providing me all that I need in life. I thank thee that thou are a loving father. So, father, if it be thy will, I just pray that thou wilt permit me, though I have sinned against thee in thought, word, and deed, to lay my hands on thy chariot this once. And I'll give you all the praise, father."

Hmmm?

 

Maybe I have a different take on things, but shouldn't you be more interested in sincerely praying instead of examining someone else's words and prayer?

 

In his little book, What Christ Means to Me, Wilfred Grenfell tells the following story on pp. 21-23. In 1883, he passed a large tent along the way. Curious, he went inside to see what was going on and heard an old preacher on the platform praying a long, droning prayer. Bored silly, he was about to leave when, as he puts it, "At that moment a vivacious person near him jumped up and shouted: 'Let us sing a hymn while our brother finishes his prayer.'" He stayed to hear that man preach. It was D. L. Moody, and Grenfell was started on his path to salvation and the life of a missionary. He wrote (p. 22), "He left a new idea in my mind, the idea that loyalty to a living Leader was religion, and that knightly service in the humblest life was the esxpression of it." After the meeting someone gave him Moody's booklet, "How to Read the Bible," and he was on his way!

 

Actually, I kind of like the sound of that! That's more like it. :thumbs:

 

I agree completely. That just gets on my nerves. I guess it is a matter of how someone was taught.