Influence

My husband and I were talking tonight about many things...one of them being places to pray.

I grew up in The Salvation Army and their tradition included a bench called The Mercy Seat. This was a place to pray for yourself, to repent, to respond in worship, to pray for others, to reconcile to God and or others.

It was very special and I miss that tradition a lot.

Recently my husband attended the closing ceremonies for Miracle Valley, a beautiful camp his father founded to help men recover from alcoholism and addictions. At that event, someone spoke about Leonard Ravenhill--Leonard had amazing influence. It was said of him that if you entered a room where he was about to minister, you would either flee for the door or head to the Mercy Seat!

The person talking about him also said the Mercy Seat at Miracle Valley was literally wet with tears when he ministered....and I would imagine many other times under the ministry of other great men and women of God, too.

Can you imagine having such a vibrant relationship with God that people sense His presence simply by you being in a room?

It hearkens to the day when Paul's shadow cast healing to those who stood in it. It reminds me of the mentally ill and demonized becoming undone as Jesus walked by to their shouts of "Have mercy on me, Son of David!"

I don't want to have that kind of influence in order to make people feel unglued. But I long for that level of holiness and intimacy with the Father that results in a sense of His very presence emanating from me.

It takes discipline, repentance, devotion, perseverance...oh, God, give me a taste of these things so that I will walk so closely to you. Really what it boils down to is not so much that I want to touch others (but of course, I want that in the healthy sense) as to walk into any place and sense YOUR presence. To know You are present. To not be able to resist Your holiness. To run into Your arms. To cry out to You for Your mercy. To reflect Your love.

Let me know You, Jesus, so that I might mirror Your hope, goodness, mercy and love to others and bring You praise.