When the Shunammite woman built a room for Elisha, one of the most important pieces of furniture she put in it was something most English Bibles describe as a chair. Although there’s nothing remarkable about a chair, according to the Hebrew Bible, the word for chair can also be translated throne.
I like the word throne because it gives us a better sense of what that lady was doing. She was making some place very special for the presence of the Lord. She was honoring and reverencing Him. She was making not just a place for Elisha to sleep but a place where he would feel welcome and honored.
As a result, Elisha regulary came to stay there.
Think about this for a moment. What would have happened if the Shunammite woman had just gone about her business, filling up her life and her house with all the ordinary necessities that normally occupy our time? What would have happened if she’d said to herself, “Well, the prophet knows he is welcome here. I suppose if he feels like it, he’ll drop by.”
I’ll tell you what would have happened.
Absolutely nothing.
Elisha would have passed by her house just like he passed by all the other houses. He would have found some place else to stay.
That’s exactly what happens to many Christians these days. We get busy with the natural things of life. We pack our schedule full of work responsibilities, home responsibilities, church duties, and leisure activities.
As we rush around we think, Gee, I sure would enjoy it if the Lord would let me sense His presence today. It sure would be nice if He would visit me. If it’s His will, I guess He’ll do it. After all, He knows where I am. But we don’t make any room for Him. We don’t honor and esteem the move of His Spirit and His manifested presence by taking time to seek Him. We don’t set aside special time to enthrone Him with our praise and worship.
In other words, we don’t do what it takes to make Him welcome.
Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 16:8 – 11
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!”