November 30th
“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4 NKJV
God wants every person to know and live in a “newness of life” that comes through the Holy Spirit. God sends the Holy Spirit to live in us at the moment we place faith in Jesus (1 Corinthians 3:16). The Spirit functions as a guide and counselor, who helps us live for God. As we yield to the convictions of the Spirit, new “fruit” grows in our lives such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Those who reap such fruits will experience satisfaction and contentment in life.
God longs for each of us to seek him out and walk with him daily. In any relationship, time and commitment are important to its health. Likewise, if we want a healthy relationship with God we’ll need to invest time each day in getting to know him. I call this a “Quiet Time.”
A Quiet Time will help us discover God and become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit. This in turn will help activate the newness of life that Paul mentioned in Romans 6:4. The main point of a Quiet Time is to tune ourselves into God and commune with him. We can do this through a variety of activities, including prayer, worship and Bible study.
I like using a “links concept” to illustrate the value of these Quiet Time activities. Prayer is our commlink by which we communicate with God and vice versa. Worship is our powerlink that helps us put on humility and invites God’s work in our lives. The Bible is our lifelink, which teaches us about God and his ways. By maintaining these important links each day, we maximize our potential to live in the newness of life for that day.
I’m guessing that worship might be the most-neglected activity in peoples’ Quiet Times. I know that this had been the case for me for years. There are several possible reasons for this, including embarrassment, uncertainty on what to say or sing, inability to sing, and not wanting to wake others up. Over the years I’ve found some creative ways to incorporate worship, such as singing with headphones/earbuds on or singing in the car. Smart phones and the wonderful music services available now give us plenty of options for playing worship music. If singing isn’t something you can get comfortable with, there is always the option to read a Psalm aloud, or just thanking God for every blessing in your life you can think of.
David wrote in Psalm 63, “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You, In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1 NKJV). There is no life that is drier than one without daily time with the living God. As the source of living water for our souls, God waits for us each day to come, meet with him, and drink freely from his refreshing springs. If we do so, we’ll have the best chance of living in the newness of life that he has for us.
Questions for further thought:
As you consider your Quiet Times, are there any recurring things that hinder your time with God? If so, what could you do differently to avoid or work around those hindrances?
What is one of the primary benefits to having our minds “stayed” or “fixed” on God each day? (Isaiah 26:3)
Are there any dangers to being too regimented in a Quiet Time routine?
Prayer:
“Heavenly Father, Thank you for the assurance that I have of peace with you through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross! Thank you that I can come to you boldly, without fear of judgment or wrath. Please forgive me for not coming to you more often each day to commune with you in a Quiet Time. Please help me make changes in my schedule and priorities that will ensure I meet with you each day. Please help me give you the praise and worship that you deserve, and teach me how to communicate with you in prayer. Father, please open my spiritual eyes and ears to receive your word in my daily Bible study. Finally, Lord, please help me relate to you as my heavenly, loving Father, who desires to meet with me. Help me to see my Quiet Time as a way to build my relationship with you. Thank you, Father! I praise you now and forever, Amen.”