James Boice said learning to pray is a little like learning to play the violin with the virtuosos. No instrument sounds worse in the beginning stages of learning; it's all screech and scratch. But if the student is determined to play well, he checks the program guide for the classical music station and notes when the violin concertos will be aired. He buys the score for each concerto and does his best to play along. At first he sounds terrible. As time passes, however, he begins little by little to sound more and more like the virtuosos. But all along, as he groans on his instrument, the orchestra plays the music beautifully—his poor performance is caught up and completed in the music of the masters.
Ben Patterson (on praying through the psalms), CT Direct, 24th October 2008
1 comment:
I have often noted that beginning poets all think that they are geniuses, that their work needs no editing. Revision, they think, would destroy the 'burst of inspiration' under which they poured forth their words.
Only as they mature do they realize that their initial drivel needed not only editing, but erasing.
Same story with prayer, which (contrary to how it is practiced in some places) is much more than merely spewing out whatever happens to be on top of our gullet at the moment.
Excellent quote you posted!
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