Comments on: As Christians Do We Or Should We Close Our Eyes When Praying?

By: Ardorpes

Ardorpes — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:55:02 +0000

I think its a good thing to teach your kids when their young, to prevent them from looking round and mucking about and treat it as a serious thing when praying to God. When they grow up a bit and mature, then you could let them know.. haha

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:20:37 +0000

It’s funny that I’ve been brought up closing my eyes in prayer. And even though I haven’t felt that you had to close your eyes for God to hear you. But I’ve always done it. Today as i was praying i was trying to think where in the Bible it says anything about closing your eyes to pray. I couldn’t think of one, and then looked up this site and searched the internet, which confirmed my thoughts. I can’t even find an account of anyone closing their eyes to pray. So why on earth and I trying to force my child to learn to close their eyes to pray. Mmm. Maybe a change is in the pipeline.

By: Donald

Donald — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:52:37 +0000

“Faith cometh by hearing” and seeing is contrary to faith. Doubt is a by-product of what we see. Just a thought. :)

By: hayesy

hayesy — Thu, 08 May 2008 00:33:21 +0000

“But pages 161-163 talk about where”
Where = part of how.

Completely on-topic. Not that there’s anything wrong with going off topic, right?

How’s Don’t Waste Your Life going?

By: vk

vk — Wed, 07 May 2008 05:45:02 +0000

yea, well your going off topic :P
My post was more how to pray.. Why we pray is another huge topic altogether :)

By: hayesy

hayesy — Wed, 07 May 2008 05:38:18 +0000

Those chapters are on exactly that: why we should pray. But pages 161-163 talk about where.
Just interesting for how seriously Piper takes it. We should learn from him.

By: VK

VK — Wed, 07 May 2008 03:04:47 +0000

dave told me about a place in the bible about bowing the heads.

Luke 18:9-14
9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10″Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about[a] himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13″But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14″I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

something to think about..

haysey i read the pages but i didnt see how it was relevant to closing your eyes and bowing the head, more explaining why we pray etc.. (correct me if im wrong??)

By: jpj

jpj — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:39:05 +0000

Is the typical Christian prayer posture (eye’s closed or head bowed or hands together) borrowed concepts of paganism?

Eg: Has the pagan practise of ‘symbols, gestures, and positions are required for the gods to hear us’ influenced Christian prayer?

Haven’t looked into these questions at all – just throwing it out there. Also haven’t had a chance to read the Piper except so maybe he already addresses this

By: hayesy

hayesy — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:15:03 +0000

Good stuff! I agree.
I wonder… do you have to pray out loud? I can’t think of any reason why you would, but for some reason I have this question, which makes me think I must have come across something suggesting that…. hrmmm

Check out chapter 10 (and 9 too, if you’re keen) of John Piper’s book When I Don’t Desire God. (Get it as a pdf here)
Its easy to read (and free), but if you really can’t be bothered, just check out pages 161-163 (of the book, not of the pdf)