Canned or fresh?

If I get a choice between canned or fresh, I choose fresh everytime. I don't mean just for vegetables either. Canned music... ptooey. I don't care for it. I was in a church once and they had their soloist singing to prerecorded music. It was awful. The music, not the singer. She had a sweet voice that was ruined by canned music. It was too bad. There is such a thing as canned prayers, or prayers that are recited over and over from a prayer book. I have always thought of that as vain repition, and never have been endeared to it.

However, spiritual growth is a continual process, and I discovered a book of prayers that I am loving. Now, all you hard-core fundamental baptists don't go gasping and thinking me a heretic. Let me explain!

The book is called "The Valley of Vision". The preface states the prayers in the book are from the Puritans. I bought this book last summer when ordering school books. I saw a recommendation in a Non-puritan but Christian publication for it, and thought "why not?". It wasn't expensive, and at the very least, could be used as some sort of tool for teaching literature.

The book, along with boxes of school stuff arrived in due time. I organized the school books for when we started our first term, and put the prayer book in our room, and promptly ignored, then forgot about it. It wasn't intentional, I was just looking for a quiet moment to open it up and enjoy it.

Fast forward to Christmas, when Aaron died. I found I couldn't pray, at least it seemed like it. I wasn't bitter or mad at God. I just coulnd't find the words to express what I was feeling. Some time went by before I could even utter some of David's prayers taken from the Psalms.

One day I found that book of prayers. Actually it was only a couple weeks ago. I opened it and started reading. What wonderful words, given in what sounded like poetry to me! I read one or two over prayerfully, adding my own words, taking out what didn't apply, but using what was in the book as a springboard, so to speak. I know that at one time I would have NEVER even considered using a prayer book. But let me just honestly say, that right now, it is wonderful. It helps me to be ABLE to pray. I can read and pray the words with my heart, just like I have done with the Psalms many times. I don't see anything wrong with it. It is not like I am repeating them as a mantra for salvation or to earn favor with God. I am using it to help bear my heart to the Lord. And like I said, I add in what applies to my situation. Isn't it better to have help from a prayer book, than to not pray at all?

I do recommend this book, "The Valley of Vision". Even if you don't use it as a prayer book, the prayers are like beautiful poetry. They really get your mind stayed on Jesus.

So, though I prefer fresh, there are times that canned is needed. Sometimes canned veggies are all that are available. Sometimes canned music can be a blessing if there are no musicians to acompany the singer (providing the canned music is godly). And sometimes, a prayer book can be the help I need when communicating with God.