Description
This book is a unique blend—a composite of varied elements. At its core, it offers a series of detailed explorations of the prayers scattered throughout Paul’s letters. However, woven into these analyses are chapters addressing prayer as a vital spiritual discipline. Underlying the entire work is D.A. Carson’s recurring critique of the Western church: despite its outward success in organization and self-promotion, it has neglected its primary calling—the deep knowledge of God—and desperately requires a “spiritual reformation.”
The exegetical studies center on six key passages from 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Colossians, Philippians, and Ephesians, where Paul articulates his prayers for the early believers. From these, Carson distills what he sees as the foundational aspects of Paul’s prayer life: a “spiritual framework” shaped by gratitude and hope, a clear vision of God’s purposes, a deep care for others, a move beyond self-centeredness toward knowing God, a pursuit of spiritual excellence, and an acknowledgment of divine sovereignty. The final study shifts focus to Romans 15, where Paul, rather than praying for the Romans, urges them to pray for his ministry.
