I answer, "What if He knows Prayer to be the thing we need first and most? What if the main object in God's idea of prayer be the supplying of our great, our endless need--the need of Himself? Hunger may drive the runaway child home, and he may or may not be fed at once, but he needs his mother more than his dinner. Communion with God is the one need of the soul beyond all other need: prayer is the beginning of that communion, and some need is the motive of that prayer. So begins a communion, a talking with God, a coming-to-one with Him, which is the sole end of prayer." (George MacDonald)
Thus begins Larry Crabb's book titled, The Papa Prayer. At once intensely personal and richly didactic, Crabb nudges the reader toward a life of purposely relating to God through prayer. While reading, I had the feel that the author presented as a friend who'd invited me to his home for a chat, except this was no exchange of mere cordialties over coffee. This was one friend sharing with another the lifeline he'd discovered and could not hoard.
Crabb admits that he is a first-grader in the school of relational prayer but seeks continued growth. Through a desire for intimate communion with God that extends beyond mere petition, Crabb uses the PAPA acrostic (named such in honor of his beloved grandfather).
Below is the PAPA prayer in a nutshell (excerpt from page 10 of The Papa Prayer).
P: Present yourself to God without pretense. Be a real person in the relationship. Tell Him whatever is going on inside you that you can identify.
A: Attend to how you're thinking of God. Again, no pretending. Ask yourself, "How am I experiencing God right now?" Is He a vending machine, a frowning father, a distant, cold force? Or is He your gloriously strong but intimate Papa?
P: Purge yourself of anything blocking your relationship with God. Put into words whatever makes you uncomfortable or embarrassed when you're real in your relationship with Him. How are you thinking more about yourself and your satisfaction than about anyone else, including God and His pleasure?
A: Approach God as the "first thing" in your life, as your most valuable treasure, the Person you most want to know. Admit that other people and things really do matter more to you right now, but you long to want God so much that every other good thing in your life becomes a "second-thing" desire.
The Papa Prayer includes a simple four-day plan to develop the habit of presenting, attending, purging, and approaching. Each day unpacks a learning objective, a Bible passage, a reflection question, and an illustration of the prayer focus for that day.
But please don't settle for the mere "nutshell!" Crabb does so much more in unpacking the four elements. Wordy and repetitive at times, Crabb seems overly careful to deliver a compelling presentation. Still, his authenticity is refreshing. This is a book worth reading thoughtfully and prayerfully. Definitely worth savoring and pondering. In the midst of a slew of endorsements, I found the one below most intriguing.
I'm thankful for this book. I suspect that God is far more thankful--thankful like a tired father is thankful to get his preschoolers past the candy aisle at Walmart. I suspect He's thankful for someone who would help His children speak their deepest desire, forget the candy, and know their Father. Our Papa is sweeter, richer, better than any candy this world has to offer. With practical advice and helpful examples, Larry coaxes us into our Father's lap, where we lose ourselves and find ourselves in Him. -Peter Hiett/Senior Pastor of Lookout Mountain Community Church.
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The Papa Prayer (2006), available used or new in ebook, audio, paperback, or hardcover.
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