Throng: A multitude of assembled persons
Isolation: To be in seclusion, separated from the rest

Picture yourself in a gigantic movie theater; it’s filled about two-thirds of the way full. You’re sitting in the center of the screen far enough back to not strain your neck or eyes & close enough to the front to see everything perfectly. Because there are groups of people on both ends of your isle, folks choose not to climb over them and consequently no one sits close to you. The rows in front of and behind you also are full on each end therefore as the crowd lingers in, each person finds ample seating elsewhere leaving the seats all around you empty. You are isolated. As you look around the enormous arena you see it is becoming quiet full, however, you remain alone. Scanning the entire assembly you do not recognize a single face. Depending on your personality type this situation may be viewed in one of three ways: First; “Why doesn’t anyone want near me, I do have good hygiene habits”. Being flesh, most of us prefer doing things with and around other people, I mean how many times do you go out to eat and spot someone at a table alone? Yes it happens, but it’s a rare case. Second possible attitude; “Perfect, now I won’t be disturbed and can just enjoy the movie”. Let’s face it, there are times when we just don’t want to have to deal with another person and we prefer to just escape through a good book, movie, or other relaxing hobby. The third circumstance; “Okay, the place is pretty full, it’s time, let’s get the show on the road. What’s the hold up?”. When we truly examine ourselves we humans can tend to be a pretty selfish species. Thinking of no one but ourselves and our own interests, most of us tend to want what we want, when we want it and fail to notice anyone else’s needs. No matter in which of the positions you most likely see yourself, as the lights go down and the movie begins, you soon become captivated by the happenings, get lost in the events, and the last thing on your mind is the logistics of your surroundings. I found myself in a scenario quiet similar to this Monday night.

Sitting alone and isolated amongst a large crowd at Monday Night Prayer, and being the analytical person that I am, I began to recognize the setting I was in and wondered how many people there were in the exact same situation and what their thoughts were. God spoke to me prompting me to pray for them so I did. As I became submerged in God’s holiness, I began interceding for the assembly of people and those who were about to lead us. I could hear chatter and laughter, see prayer groups & musicians. Many people were doing many different things as the time to begin approached, however we were all gathered for one purpose; to pray. We prayed through music, we prayed through silence. We prayed with heads bowed, we prayed with hands lifted. We prayed alone, we prayed in groups. Never before had I been alone yet been so beautifully surrounded. The immense love and camaraderie amongst this family of strangers was blissfully peaceful. We spoke to God and we heard testimony of how He speaks to us: acquired jobs, diseases healed, marriages restored, lost souls saved.

When we feel God in our situations it is a wonderful experience but when we experience the responses God gives to our devotion to Him it is true evidence of Him speaking to us. As we lift up our prayers; He rains down His responses. In our Father’s timing, and according to His divine plan, He speaks. Last night, in our drought-ridden land, God literally rained down His response to our communal outpouring in our request for rain. It poured for three hours! Our parched land was quenched because God spoke down his gracious response. I love the ways God speaks!

Blessings, Treva Hamm