This book is aimed at helping to pray, but not to serve as a substitute for remaining in the Lord in real prayer, rationalizing the avoidance of directly facing him without defences. It is meant to deepen awareness of the realities and the possibilities of prayer, to suggest ways of approaching prayer and to encourage prayerful abiding in the Lord.

Christian praying is in and through Jesus: he is our way to the Father. In Jesus God reaches out to us, calling us to respond. That response is to be in Jesus, to abide in Jesus. Jesus calls us to an intimate personal relationship with him. This relationship is a matter of experience - and by experience is meant not a passing emotional impact but a personal involvement_ The central expression of this relationship and the activity in which it is chiefly experienced, is prayer. Prayer is quite simple. Essentially, praying is remaining in the Lord 'unprotected', with no defences. This is not always easy. But it is simple. This book aims at helping to pray. It could, like such books, serve as a substitute for remaining in the Lord in real prayer, rationalizing the avoidance of directly facing him without defences. But that is not what it is for. It is meant to deepen awareness of the realities and the possibilities of prayer, to suggest ways of approaching prayer and to encourage prayerful abiding in the Lord.