A man who afterwards became a prominent Christian said that his idea of God was revolutionised when, as a little boy, he was taken to visit an old lady. The old lady pointed out to him a text on her wall - 'Thou, God, seest me' - and she said to him, 'You see those words. They do not mean God is always watching you to see what you are doing wrong, they mean he loves you so much that he cannot take his eyes off you'.

A very precious way to pray is just through silence. No thoughts or words, just wanting to be silent in the presence of God. Perhaps one of the high points in prayer is where two silences meet: God's silence and our silence. No need for thoughts - and words get in the way.