It’s in the place of divine attachment and inner quiet that comes from meditation that we most easily hear the still, small voice of God. It’s there that we receive the directions we need to fulfill our divine destiny. That’s why no matter how much we mature in the Lord and no matter how busy we become with His work, we cannot afford to lay aside the practice of meditation.
Even Jesus needed times of solitude and meditation during His time on earth. Although He was pressed with the unceasing demands of ministry, the Bible tells us He made a constant habit of withdrawing to spend time by Himself with God:
• When He heard that John the Baptist had been killed, His immediate response was to escape the clamor of the crowd and seek the fellowship of His Father in “a solitary place.” (Matthew 14:13 Amp)
• After He had ministered to the multitudes, “He went up into the hills by Himself to pray—alone.” (Matthew 14:23 Amp)
• The morning after another intense day of ministry, “having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” (Mark 1:35 Amp)
Jesus understood what many devoted saints have learned as they’ve followed in His footsteps—that it is through times of meditation and private fellowship with God that we cultivate a familiar friendship with Him. It is there we become comfortable in His presence and attune our hearts to Him.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 14:1 – 23
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”