The Meaning of Prayer Quotes

“the best part of prayer is our listening to God. Sometimes in the Scripture a prayer of urgent and definite petition rises, "Oh that I might have my request; And that God would grant me the thing that I long for!" (Job 6:8); but another sort of prayer is very frequently indicated: "Speak; for thy servant heareth" (I Sam. 3:10); "My soul, wait thdu in silence for God only; For my expectation is from him" (Psalm 62:5); "I will hear what God Jehovah -will speak" (Psalm 85:8); or in Luther's version of Psalm 37: 7, "Be silent to God and let him mold thee." Without such openheartedness to God, some things which he wills never can be done.”
― Harry Emerson Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer

“Men are given to complaining of unanswered prayer, but the great disasters are due to answered prayers.”
― Harry Emerson Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer

“Prayer, in this more inclusive sense, is the settled craving of a man's heart, good or bad, his inward love and determining desire.”
― Harry Emerson Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer

“There are many prayers that God must not answer, but there are no good prayers which God cannot answer.”
― Harry Emerson Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer

“There is one sense, however, in which answer to prayer can always be depended on, if a man has kept his life at all in harmony with God. Even when God cannot answer affirmatively the man's petition he can answer the man.”
― Harry Emerson Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer

“Prayer is hunger and thirst. Prayer is our demand on life, elevated, purified, and aware of a Divine Alliance.”
― Harry Emerson Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer

“the prayer of dominant desire always tends to attain its object.”
― Harry Emerson Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer