"Waiting in Gratitude: Prayers for Joy" (Walter Brueggemann)

TITLE: Waiting in Gratitude: Prayers for Joy
AUTHOR: Walter Brueggemann
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2024, (148 pages).
 

Prayer is more than asking for things. Prayer is listening to God. It is cultivating our relationship with God. Whatever it is, regardless of emotional conditions, we can all pray to God at all times. Having written considerably on the prayers of lament, author and retired professor Walter Brueggemann focuses on the movement of tears, desperation, and pain toward joy. Savoring the "peculiarities" of our life's journey, we turn our very living from lament to waiting, from waiting to gratitude, and from gratitude to joy. How do we do that? Begin with the why. Continue with the "chewing of the world" of ups and downs. Finally, arriving at complete joy. Brueggemann reasons as follows: "The sum of these prayers is to voice our life back to God in wonder and gratitude for God’s “countless gifts” that are indeed beyond our counting. We nevertheless continue to count them!"

Indeed, praying is learning to count our blessings and this book is designed to help us through our journey of life. Part One comprises prayers for all kinds of occasions. From anniversaries to baptisms, birthdays to confirmations, weddings to memorials, Brueggemann shows us how we can pray for all occasions. With the help of hymns and Scripture, he guides us to look to Jesus in acknowledging the present with gratitude and look to the future with hope. He has prayers for individuals, for those in specific vocations in life, and in particular, for those called to the ministry. Part Two takes us deeper into what it means to experience joy in Christ. No longer about specific occasions or callings, the prayers reflect a longing for God. Using the created world as a platform for prayer, Brueggemann weaves his prayers and tightens them with biblical texts and principles. Some of the prayers can also be used as congregational prayers. Many of the prayers are steeped in Scriptural reflection. 

My Thoughts

Let me frame my thoughts via three questions. First, what is the purpose of this book? Basically, it is about learning to practice the presence of God in all circumstances. The Bible teaches us to pray in all circumstances for that is God's will for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Some people limit prayers to just mealtimes or Church Sundays. Others simply need help to learn how to pray in different circumstances. This book is a guide to do that. With many examples and familiar occasions, Brueggemann teaches us that it is not only possible but we can also enjoy the praying moment. Hopefully, once we learn the framework of prayer, we can creatively pray in other situations unique to us. 

Second, how can we use this book? We all need to learn how to pray. Many churches use the Lord's Prayer as a weekly ritual for the congregation. However, it is always good to incorporate fresh prayers to complement the ritual. The prayers in this book can be used as material for that. In Part One, we can benefit from learning to pray in all circumstances of life. While some of the prayers could be used as is, we can always creatively personalize these prayers for our respective contexts. Contextualizing is usually preferred as it helps us connect better with the people we are praying for. For some people, it might be good to use the prayers in this book as a way to improve our personal prayers or congregational prayers. However, we should learn to write or prepare our own prayers. This book is not a replacement for our own. We need to let God assist us in this spiritual journey of prayer. 

Third, why should we read or buy this book? This is the author's third collection of prayers, the first being "Acting in the Wake: Prayers for Justice," and the second "Following into Risky Obedience: Prayers along the Journey." While recommended, it is not necessary to read the earlier books before we can benefit from this book. The simple reason to buy this book is to pray better, pray deeper, and pray wider. The prayers in this book are non-repetitive but highly creative. It showcases the wealth of biblical knowledge and spiritual awareness of God's presence in the author's life. 

I warmly recommend this book as a way to improve our praying.

Walter Brueggemann is William Marcellus McPheeters Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary. An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, he is the author of dozens of books, including Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now, A Gospel of Hope, and Interrupting Silence: God’s Command to Speak Out.

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Westmonster John Knox Press via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.