Gifting for others (Phenomenology of Prayer 2)

     In James R. Mensch's Prayer as Kenosis he talks about the fact that prayer is most likely the oldest practice of all time and has been going on since before recorded history and the role of petitionary prayer in the Christian life.  He says that God made himself available to us by emptying himself so we must in order to experience him empty ourselves.  He then applies this to praying to God with petition.  When one prays to God with petition they ought to see that prayer as a means of paying gifts forward to others if God's will is to grant you those wishes.  I find Mensch to be spot on on the grounds of applying this to the first great commandment to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself.  If one loves God with all of their heart, soul, and mind they petition to Him in prayer because they love and trust his provision not in hopes of favor and if one loves their neighbor as themselves they hope to pay forward Gifts from the Lord to serve others. 

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