It was 1979, and I was a young Theology student at Moody Bible Institute. One of my professors, Dr. Renald Showers, took some of us aside to teach us how to write theology. He told us that the theology of prayer, Prayerology, had never been written. We have all kinds of classes and books on different theologies like Angelology, Eschatology, Christology, etc., but not Prayerology. So, I decided at the age of 33, that I was going to be the one to write it. I set out to read my Bible through 4 or 5 times and mark every single verse dealing with prayer. Those verses would need to all be catalogued, characterized, put in theological or thematic order; then studied contextually and topically; and finally, cross referenced. I didn't realize what I was in for.
After almost 50 years in the pastorate and Jewish ministries, at the encouragement of my son, Adam, I decided to start a blog, 'The Scarlet Worm', to begin documenting each of these prayer passages. After all the positive feedback, God has led me to compile these writings in a series of books, 'Portraits of Prayer'. I won't have enough life left to finish the Prayerology; So, I began a Prayer- Anthology instead!
Genesis is the book of beginnings: of life, of mankind, of the animal kingdom, of marriage, of murder and the beginning of prayer. St. Seraphim in Letter VI refers to man as 'the praying animal, ' such a unique title for mankind. Exodus records the wilderness wanderings of the Israelites and the establishment of the tabernacle and law; a time when the people would learn how to properly worship and pray to Yahweh. We will look at over 200 'Principles for Prayer' in Genesis and Exodus, as well as over 50 other author's comments, opinions and insights on prayer. So, grab your Bible, a pen and a notebook and let's begin your prayer journey & prayer journal through these first books of the Pentateuch. I hope you're as excited as I am. I'll meet you "between the lines" as we get a 'worm's eye view' of Prayer through God's lens.
