When I discovered the puritans, I immediately admired their high view of God, reverence for His Word, and commitment to personal holiness. I have recently also learned to respect the puritans for their profound, passionate praying life. A few years ago, I read a collection of puritan prayers (Piercing Heaven) and was blessed by their biblically rich and beautiful prayers. So when I discovered Tim Chester’s new book, Into His Presence: Praying With the Puritans, I had to get my hands on it.
Into His presence is a collection of puritan prayers carefully selected and edited by Tim Chester. The goal of this book is not simply to sample puritan writings or to be inspired by their prayers; it is to provide prayers that can be prayed. In other words, this book is designed to be read on your knees in fellowship with God.
Therefore, Chester arranged these 80 prayers under 16 categories that show how or when to use the prayers. These categories include Prayers of Praise to the Father, Prayers of Wonder for the Son, Prayers of Dependence on the Spirit, Prayers for Times of Temptation, Prayers for times of Anxiety, Prayers for the Lord’s Supper, Prayers for the Lost, Prayers of Gratitude, and Prayers for Everyday Life.
The prayers in this book come from the pen of puritans, such as Thomas Watson, Thomas Brooks, Richard Baxter, John Owen, and George Swinnock. There are brief biographies of the puritans at the end of the book.
Chester did a fantastic job with Into His Presence, and I sincerely enjoyed reading it. As expected, the prayers are beautiful, rooted in Scripture, inspiring, convicting, and soul-stirring. The book also has a beautiful and durable hardcover design that should withstand the repeated use it deserves.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to deepen their prayer life and communion with God. It is a beautiful and useful resource to add to your library.
The Good Book Company graciously gave me a copy, and this is my honest review.
