Prayer: Long Before the Lord

But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded.—Exodus 34:34

It is written of Moses that he "went in before the Lord to speak with him...and he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel." This is the Biblical norm from which we depart to our own undoing and to the everlasting injury of the souls of men. No man has any moral right to go before the people who has not first been long before the Lord. No man has any right to speak to men about God who has not first spoken to God about men. And the prophet of God should spend more time in the secret place praying than he spends in the public place preaching....

One swallow does not make a spring nor one hot day a summer; nor will a few minutes of frantic praying before service bring out the tender buds or make the flowers to appear on the earth. The field must be soaked in sunshine over a long period before it will give forth its treasures. The Christian's heart must be soaked in prayer before the true spiritual fruits begin to grow. The Root of the Righteous, 121-122.

"Lord, it seems like much of what we've been emphasizing all year requires that we slow down from our frantic pace. It takes great spiritual discipline to 'spend more time in the secret place praying than we spend in the public place preaching.' Quiet my heart today, slow me down I pray. Amen."