All of us need more light about God’s wonderful love—and, praise the Lord, we can get it!
Because the entrance of God’s Word gives us light (Psalm 119:130), we can open our Bibles and let the light into our hearts. We can take a spiritual sunbath and become better receivers by looking at what the Word says about God’s mercy.
The entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is filled with demonstrations of it. After all, every miracle God ever wrought was done because of His mercy and love. Psalms chapter 103 makes that very clear. It says God is merciful in all His acts and all His ways.
The acts of God refer to all the powerful, supernatural wonders the Lord has done for His people: things like the deliverance of Israel from the slavery of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the manna in the wilderness, the cloud by day and the fire by night, and the many marvelous victories He gave the Israelites when they entered the Promised Land.
The ways of God are the reasons He did those things. And, according to Psalms chapter 103, those reasons are very simple. He did them because He “… is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy …” (verse 8). He did them because He has a father’s heart, and “as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him” (verse 13).
I especially like that verse because it paints the picture of God standing over His people with the tender love and concern of a parent. Since I’m a grandmother, I can readily identify with that picture. I know what it’s like to stand over my grandchildren wanting to pour out my love on them and bless them with all my goods and all my benefits.
That’s how we should all see God when we draw near to Him in prayer. We should see Him with the eyes of our spirit standing over us with tenderness and love. We should see Him wanting to give us everything He has to give.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 103:6 – 22
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!”