Prayer.

 "I believe that profit often meets and joins the person who prays as he ought or who makes every effort to do so as far as he is able. First, the person who composes his mind for prayer is inevitably profited in some way. Through his very disposition for prayer he adorns himself so as to present himself to God and to speak to Him in person as to someone who looks upon him and is present."
 ~Origen of Alexandria

I have no idea who he is or why he has any credibility, but I like what he has to say. I'm not one to do lots of research, so according to the very little research that I did, he's some theologian from the 200s who castrated himself. Sounds hard core (or completely crazy) to me.
Again, either way I like his words. I like that he addresses profiting from prayer. If we prepare our minds for talking to the God of the universe it will without a doubt benefit us. I also think he is trying to communicate that by the simple act of praying we are humbling ourselves before the Lord and conversationally approaching him. Those are the things that popped out to me.

 "...it seems to me that the person who is about to come to prayer should withdraw for a little and prepare himself, and so become more attentive and active for the whole of his prayer. He should cast away all temptation and troubling thoughts and remind himself so far as he is able of the Majesty whom he approaches, and that it is impious to approach Him carelessly, sluggishly, and disdainfully; and he should put away all extraneous things. This is how he should come to prayer: stretching out his soul, as it were, instead of his hand; straining his mind toward God, instead of his eyes; raising his governing reason from the ground and standing it before the Lord of all, instead of standing."

I love that. I felt like I could have italicized or bolden? boldize? made bold? almost every single word. I am very prone to pray out of obligation and definitely with little thought. I have thought a lot about being intentional with prayer since reading this. There is so much meat in this that I can't even begin to break down. I would rather just share it and let each person pull out what it means to them and explore how it encourages them. Although, I will say that I'm making sure I don't take from this that I shouldn't approach the Lord unless I can completely focus for at least an hour or more. I think there is great importance in being prayerful throughout the day, every day (1 Timothy 2:8). I think he is trying to illustrate the equal importance of finding the time and energy to pray in a more intentional and thoughtful way.

"It seems to me that there are four topics that need to be sketched out and that I have found them scattered in the Scriptures. Each person should organize his prayer according to these topics. This is what they are:
1. In the beginning and the preface of the prayer, something having the force of praise should be said of God through Christ, who is praised with Him, and by the Holy Spirit, who is hymned with Him.
2. After this, each person should place general thanksgivings, bringing forward for thanksgiving the benefits given many people and those he has received from God.
3. After thanksgiving, it seems to me that he ought to blame himself bitterly before God for his own sins and then asks first, for healing that he may be delivered from the habit that brings him to sin and, second, for forgiveness of the sins that have been committed.
4. After confession, the fourth topic that seems to me must be asses is the request for great and heavenly things, both private and general, and concerning this household and his dearest. And, finally, the prayer should be concluded with a doxolgy of God through Christ in the Holy Spirit..."

I love structure and direction. I love the book of James because it straight up tells me what to do and what not to do. I love this suggestion for how to approach prayer. I don't see it as legalism but rather a genuine attempt to help guide in this abstract thing called praying.

I want to approach prayer thoughtfully, intentionally, and frequently.

(Thank you Imago Dei youth group for the wonderful discussion about prayer in relation to Origen's words that inspired this post.)