Irreverent Prayer

Ok, this one really convicted me. I think most people if they are honest with themselves would admit to their mind's tendency to wander during prayer. This being the case with me, I was moved to try all the harder in this area after reading this paragraph by John Calvin. It's taken from his Institutes. I apologize for the sometimes difficult to understand phrasing. It took me reading some sentences several times to really get ahold of what Calvin was trying to say, it was worth it though.

"These two matters are well worth attention: first, whoever engages in prayer should apply to it his faculties and efforts, and not, as commonly happens, be distracted by wandering thoughts. For nothing is more contrary to reverence for God than the levity that marks an excess of frivolity utterly devoid of awe. In this matter, the harder we find concentration to be, the more strenuously we ought to labor after it. For no one is so intent on praying that he does not feel many irrelevant thoughts stealing upon him, which either break the course of prayer or delay it by some winding bypath. But here let us recall how unworthy it is, when God admits us to intimate conversation, to abuse his great kindness by mixing sacred and profane; but just as if the discourse were between us and an ordinary man, amidst our prayers we neglect him and flit about hither and thither."