Richard J. Foster’s book, “Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home,” has significantly influenced my approach to prayer. The topic of prayer often leads to differing opinions among individuals, including within the Christian community, due to varying understandings of what prayer entails: whether it is communication with God, an inner spiritual experience, a mystical encounter, or a formal and liturgical practice. In his book, Foster addresses a broad spectrum of prayers within Christianity. He categorizes his work into three main sections:

• Moving Inward: Seeking the Transformation We Need
• Moving Upward: Seeking the Intimacy We Need
• Moving Outward: Seeking the Ministry We Need

The structure progresses from personal introspective prayers to divine encounters, and finally to intercessory and mission-oriented prayers.

One of the Bible verses that truly freed me in praying to God is the words of Jesus, where he said, “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him” (Mt.6:7-8). Then he taught his disciples the most straightforward and basic form of prayer acceptable to God, called “The Lord’s Prayer.” Additionally, Apostle Paul’s teaching also freed me in my prayer life. He said, “And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom.8:26-27). These two passages are completely freeing as they teach us that God knows what we are trying to say, and the Holy Spirit in us translates even our “groanings” into a prayer acceptable to God!

Nevertheless, there will be disagreements as to what is and what is not proper prayer. Consider the following popular Christian leaders, Pastor John MacArthur and Pastor John Piper, and their different understanding of “Contemplative Prayer” found in Foster’s book, chapter 14:

What do you think? Who do you agree with when it comes to “Contemplative Prayer?”