Word is Very Near You [Paperback]

Martin L. Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 25, 1989

An introduction to the practice of prayer with Scripture, this book includes a number of themes for prayer with suggested passages for meditation. Martin Smith believes that prayer is not an act we perform, but rather is a response to God’s reaching out to us. Through scriptural passages this book shows how the Bible can guide our prayer response and lead us from conversational prayer to meditative, receptive prayer with Scripture. This book is ideal for an ongoing Bible, prayer, or discernment group.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Word Is Very Near You: A Guide to Praying with Scripture by Martin L. Smith, an Episcopal monk, is among the most useful and beautifully written books about prayer in print. Its title, taken from Deuteronomy 30:14 ("The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.") is a relief, a promise, and a challenge. Smith's straightforward, flowing prose sparkles with natural wit and insight as he describes how laypeople can participate in the ancient practice of lectio divina ("holy reading"), a very slow, meditative engagement with Scripture whose effects flow out into a person's whole inner and outer life. Smith explains, "Meditative prayer ... does not confine itself to the surface levels of reasoning and talking and thinking. It won't be a matter of the head, and tidy, controlled conversations with the Lord. This kind of praying will involve the inner world where the invisible springs of our actions lie, it will penetrate to levels of deep need, disturbance, feeling, levels where we are hurt and warped, and levels where we have wants not at all satisfied by conventional palliatives, and gifts waiting to come out of bud."

The first half of this book explains what meditative prayer is, and how it often works in the life of a believer. The second half contains suggested themes and biblical passages for prayer. Smith, who is widely known among Episcopalians as a spiritual director, has masterful knowledge of Christian tradition and of modern psychology, and his book wears this considerable learning very lightly. As a result, he can speak an ancient message in contemporary language with greater integrity than anyone writing about Christian spirituality today. If you are looking for one book about prayer that will honor your emotions, respect your mind, give you rest, shake you up, and change your life, this is it. The Word Is Very Near You has such good news: you really can do it. --Michael Joseph Gross

Review

In his new book Martin Smith understands both the desire and the need to pray and the many resistances and fears that pull us away from prayer. . . . His deep experience shows through in every level of this book. His is not some esoteric, academic treatment of the discipline of prayer. His knowledge of prayer is grounded in experience—in the experience of hundreds of people who want to know God, who long to draw near to God and who turn to Smith for guidance and help. As you read you feel as if Smith were calmly and prayerfully sitting in front of you, looking at your soul, strongly but gently loving you and helping you move more deeply towards God. It is a prayerful holy experience just to read this book. Your soul will stir. . . . “I have never read a deeper or more thorough treatment of our desire for prayer and at the same time our resistance to it, which Smith treats in Section One. Smith does not mince words. He is strong and articulate. He unveils our deep longing and desire for God. One feels one’s heart burn as Smith writes about our desire for God and God’s desire for us. . . . 'There are quite a number of books published on prayer and meditation. Many sound good and then fade. Not so with Martin Smith’s book. It has fueled my thoughts and prayer for months. One walks away from this book with an even deeper desire to pray and specific help on how to do just that—to open one’s heart to God. (Elisa DesPortes Wheeler Virginia Seminary Journal )

Martin Smith’s book The Word is Very Near You is as good a book on praying with the scriptures as one is likely to read. . . . “Two things, above all else, make this an excellent book on prayer. The first is Smith’s gentle, unassuming insight, expressed in style as well as content. The second is his use of quotations or re-creations of the responses of real people engaged in prayer, responses gathered from his considerable experience as a spiritual director. But it is not just an excellent book about prayer, it is a prayerful, graceful book. It makes one want to pray. (Rev. Marc Lawrence Britt Episcopal Life )

Martin Smith’s book The Word is Very Near You is as good a book on praying with the scriptures as one is likely to read. . . . “Two things, above all else, make this an excellent book on prayer. The first is Smith’s gentle, unassuming insight, expressed in style as well as content. The second is his use of quotations or re-creations of the responses of real people engaged in prayer, responses gathered from his considerable experience as a spiritual director. But it is not just an excellent book about prayer, it is a prayerful, graceful book. It makes one want to pray. (Rev. Marc Lawrence Britt Episcopal Life )

Over the last year or more, I have been very deeply engaged in prayer. In fact, prayer has been the one constant source of hope and strength that has helped me through difficult times. Consequently, I turned again to Martin Smith’s book, The Word is Very Near You. Martin’s clear and personal style of speaking about prayer guided me into an even deeper communion with God. For this I will always be grateful. (Bishop Steven Charleston Episcopal Life )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 214 pages
• Publisher: Cowley Publications; Copyright 1989 edition (January 25, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0936384816
• ISBN-13: 978-0936384818
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #444,435 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a helpful guide to meditative prayer, November 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Word is Very Near You (Paperback)

Our adult Christian formation (Christian education in some churches)class has been using this book for a series of discussions and practice in meditative prayer. All participants seem to like the author's style of writing and to find something useful in the text. We also keep hearing that it is worth re-reading and keeping on hand to refer to again and again.

The author, Martin Smith, SSJE, is an Episcopalian and superior of the Society of St. John the Evangelist. He explains in a clear and personal manner different approaches to prayer using scripture as the basis. Some in our group are used to putting Old Testament lessons into story form for the child-friendly service at our church and like the chapter on putting one's self into a Bible story (a participant at the Last Supper, a witness to the Crucifixion, the woman at the well, Martha or Mary preparing dinner for the Lord or sitting at his feet to hear him speak,etc.) Others benefit from trying to focus on a word or phrase or short sentence from the Bible as the center of a meditative prayer session. Still others tried focusing on a symbol or image which has importance in scripture (water, tongues of fire, staff, shepherd, oil for lighting lamps, etc.) We are next going to try a group meditation. For individuals or groups seeking an enriched prayer experience, this book is recommended.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Uniquely helpful, March 31, 2002

By 

"kangarex" (Keokuk, IA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Word is Very Near You (Paperback)

This book was recommended (and loaned)to me by my pastor, and I rapidly decided that I needed my own copy. It provides instruction on a number of different kinds of prayer that can be done using scripture that is clear, succinct and helpful, but it also provides a lot more than that. The introduction has a good discussion on the hows and whys of scriptural prayer, and the back of the book has extensive lists of scripture readings broken into topical sections so that those who are fairly new to studying the bible, can nonetheless find appropriate passages for in depth prayer on a variety of topics. Highly recommended for anyone interested in increasing the depth of their prayer life.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best books of meditative prayer, October 25, 2007

By 

Ulysses Castillo "ulyssescastillo" (Eudora, KS United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Word is Very Near You (Paperback)

This is one my favorite books on meditative prayer. Assigned by my spiritual directors program, it was a real delight to read and incorporate in my daily prayer life. The first couple of chapters are worth the price of the book. Unlike another reviewer, I did not find any "theological jargon" in the book at all! Nor is it "episcopal" (by the way, it was assigned by a catholic, and I'm methodist)! I can't help but wonder if the prior reviewer was talking about another book.

The first few chapters describe our approach and connection to God in prayer, God's initiative in all prayer, our experience of God and practical examples of what that looks like, including tips on where/when and incorporating the body in prayer. The next few chapters describe (without using these theological words), the practice of lectio divina, ignatian prayer (entering the stories), and praying with icons/word pictures. Each kind is described in step-by-step fashion, followed by interviews from new practitioners so that you can get a realistic feel for what that meditative prayer practice is like. The second half of the book is basically a mini topical concordance, where various scriptures are listed by topic as an aid for choosing in prayer. I found this section less helpful, because I really didn't need it. But for those who really don't know what scriptures to start with in meditative prayer, it's a great section.