Our Eyes Are On You: A Study of Biblical Prayer

by Nathan Ward

A study of the context and contents of 35 Biblical prayers to make connections to our lives, informing us about prayer, the things about which we should pray, and the God to whom we pray. The prayers covered include those of Abraham, Moses, Hannah, David, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Jesus, the Apostles, Paul, and many others.

Genres: Christian, Theology

354 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2023

Reviews

[Elizabeth Romine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a student in one of Dr. Ward’s classes on prayer (almost 10 years ago), and I still frequently think about some of the principles taught in that class. This book goes through biblical prayers, making connections and applications to the way we can imitate their patterns of prayer. The set-up helps lend itself to a slower pace for reading, taking a few pages for each prayer at a time (or maybe that’s just me being really slow to read it). The book is thoughtful and academic, but highly practical and will impact the daily way I pray.

[Ethan Sink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book examines a few dozen prayers recorded in the Bible, analyzing repeated themes and drawing conclusions to help believers in their prayer lives. Some sections are a bit academic, but I thought Ward did a great job of keeping it accessible for everyone. I used this to teach a church Bible class and had several people who read along in the book and really enjoyed it; it was also a fantastic resource for me as I prepared for the class. I’d strongly recommend this for any Christian who wants to learn to pray better.

[Farley Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will change how you think and pray. I highly recommend.

[Matt DeVore · Rating 5 out of 5]

While not covering 100% of the prayers in the Bible, this book feels comprehensive as it analyzes a wide swath of significant prayers in the Old and New Testaments. Ward provides a thorough treatment of each prayer with an introduction and then sections on Context, Contents, Connections and/or Contemporary Significance as appropriate.

The writing is both devotional and academic. There is plenty of additional in-depth information and references for further study in the footnotes. Dr. Ward engages other relevant works such as D. A. Carson's Praying with Paul. That one caught my attention since I was reading it, too. The bibliography for Our Eyes Are On You is 18 pages long.

This book is worthwhile for anyone interested in studying Bible examples of prayer and improving their own prayer life.

I was provided a pre-publication copy of the book to review, but I'm really slow.

[Leah Hersey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so well written and extremely helpful both in my own prayer life and to better understand the prayers of God’s people in the Bible. I highly recommend!

[Michael Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nathan Ward, D. Min., is a Biblical Studies faculty member at Florida College. He also is Content Editor at DeWard Press, the publisher of his recently released book Our Eyes Are On You. The book is available in paperback from Amazon for $18.99. I read a prepublication proof of the book that the author sent me that had 350 pages. I have taught classes about learning to pray from the prayers in the Bible since the 1980s and have written a blog, Call for Fire Seminar, on the same topic since 2013. I have been aware since 2014 of Nathan Ward’s intention to write this book. In my judgment, Ward has produced an excellent study of selected biblical prayers. If you are interested growing spiritually, in careful study of the Bible, or in prayer specifically, you will want to read Our Eyes Are On You. In the book, whose title comes from Jehoshaphat’s closing words of a prayer in 2 Chronicles 20, Ward discusses thirty-five biblical prayers. He clearly states the boundaries of the work in the introduction. For example, Ward does not include any of the many prayers from the Psalms. He follows a consistent structural approach that helps the reader to understand more easily. He notes several themes that characterize prayers in the Bible, among them attention to what God has promised.
Dr. Ward concludes the book with three appendices. In them he discusses praying to Jesus, appropriate use of the Lord’s Prayer, and biblical passages that teach about prayer but are not prayers. The appendix on praying to Jesus was the best discussion of this subject that I have read.

[Stephen Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading through this wonderful book in a chapter-a-day format, I found it insightful and approachable all at the same time. Dr. Ward's writing makes deep, scholarly analysis understandable on the lay-level. The writing is not overly flowery nor dry; instead, it's clear and thought-provoking. This study of prayer will be an exceptional purchase for anyone looking for a daily-devotional or looking to cite it in a scholarly work.

I happen to know Dr. Ward personally, so my feedback may be biased. Nonetheless, his humble and diligent approach to studying scripture shows through in this study. The book is not perfect nor comprehensive, but it meets its goals admirably. I have benefited significantly from letting this book guide me through scripture and motivate me to further study.

[Sarah Raymer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Prayer is a way of communicating our desires even as we seek to better align ourselves with God's desire."
This book is full of insights into prayer, God's will for our lives, the faith and struggles of Biblical figures and what it means to have a deep and meaningful relationship with God. This is a great resource to have for understanding the prayers in the Bible, but I know I'll want to reread it periodically to reset my motivations and expectations around my personal prayer life.

[Jacob Hudgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This study of prayer manages to be both broad and deep. Covering a wide range of prayers (more focused on OT prayers than NT), Ward consistently adds cogent analysis of contexts and solid lessons. I found something noteworthy in almost every chapter. This book would be an excellent option for a slow, careful study of biblical prayer. Highly recommended.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent study of a selection of prayers in the Bible, including examinations of some controversial subjects such as praying to Jesus and the use of "the Lord's prayer". Ward does an excellent job of balancing the academic with the practical. As my weekend devotional, I enjoyed every minute I spent in this book, finding it both edifying and admonishing. Highly recommend.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

So beneficial, I already plan to reread it.