In a message to The Mother Church in 1896, Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “One thing I have greatly desired, and again earnestly request, namely, that Christian Scientists, here and elsewhere, pray daily for themselves; not verbally, nor on bended knee, but mentally, meekly, and importunately” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 127).
Such nonverbal, deeply felt prayer can do more to avail ourselves of God’s healing presence than spoken words can do. I found this to be so during a time after my beloved second husband passed on. I was praying daily, using the Lord’s Prayer and other comforting, healing words to guide my steps. But there was another, inner prayer, an “importunate” wordless longing that I constantly felt.
I needed to know how my days by myself would now be spent. I had been married previously for 51 years to a strong but undemonstrative man who had made most of our decisions. After his passing, I married again and spent 11 of the happiest years of my life with a man who daily declared his love for me, and we made decisions together.
