This book review is by Terry Delaney and appears on his website, Christian Book Notes (August 8, 2012). Used by permission.
M’Intyre, David M. The Hidden Life of Prayer & The Prayer Life of Our Lord. Hannibal: Granted Ministries Press, 2012. 192 pp. $11.00. Purchase from Granted Ministries for only $7.50.
Introduction
David M’Intyre (1859-1938) was a Scottish Presbyterian. In the day, he was most known for succeeding Andrew Bonar as minister in Finnieston. Today, however, he is more known for his writings on prayer. Thus, this double book published together by Granted Ministries.
Summary
The first book is entitled The Hidden Life of Prayer. It is by far the shorter of the two works comprising only 80 pages spread out over 8 chapters. Chapters include the equipment used in prayer and what the mind is to be focused on when praying. There are three chapters detailing the engagement of prayer: worship, confession and request. The final two chapters look closer at the “hidden riches of the secret place” and the open recompense.
The second work is entitled The Prayer Life of Our Lord. It obviously details the many prayers and prayer times of Christ that we read in the Bible. Here, we are treated to pastoral musings and background on the importance of prayer in the life of Jesus Christ. This second book is approximately 105 pages long split over 15 chapters. These chapters can be read devotionally…especially before one’s prayer time.
Review
If you want to be humbled to realize you need to pray more often and with more sincerity, read The Hidden Life of Prayer. If you want to be encouraged to pray without ceasing, read The Prayer Life of Our Lord. I do not believe you can read either of these two works without finding yourself wanting to pray more. M’Intyre writes with such pastoral concern though that is not the best attribute of these books.
M’Intyre probably wrote these books more from a realization that he needed to take more serious a hidden prayer life and when he did, he wanted to share the benefits and joys of having such a prayer life. Both of these books together provide a 1-2 punch that will leave the reader gasping for more time…alone…with God.
Recommendation
We are indebted to Granted Ministries for publishing these two works together. If you have never read The Hidden Life of Prayer, you are missing out on a piece of gold from church history. I had never read The Prayer Life of Our Lord until this book came across my desk. I am better now for having read it. I highly recommend this particular book on prayer for its simplicity and straight-forward approach to a subject for which everyone would say they could do better.
[I highly recommend Granted Ministries website for a great source of solid reading material. All their prices are reduced from list–Chris Nyland]