A Quiet Time

When I was a new believer 44 years ago those who discipled me in the Lord Jesus urged me to have what they called a "quiet time" with the Lord every day. I will always be grateful to these wonderful saints many of whom were in their eighties then and still vigorous in their love for the Lord. I'm so thankful for those who insisted that time by myself with the Lord every day should be a priority in my new life in the Lord. I remember reading a little pamphlet which listed all of the places in the Bible encouraging this for the morning and since I am a morning person, I began to get up early to spend time with the Lord. Since I had no idea how this sort of thing should go, it was helpful to see how other Christians ordered their time with the Lord. So – I will tell you what I have tried to do over the years in the hope that it will be helpful to you.

1. Read the Word. It was suggested to me that if I read 4 chapters a day I would read the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice in a year so I began to do this and have continued it all these years. At first I simply read 4 chapters in a row – starting with Genesis 1-4 - a good place to begin. I began to keep a notebook handy to jot down something from each chapter as read. No long drawn out notes, just something that stood out. This keeps your mind from drifting off into neverland while you're reading Leviticus and the way to take care of a running sore. The second read through or so, I decided to read chapters from different sections of the Bible. For example, on January 1st (assuming I had kept to the schedule the previous year and read Revelation 22 on December 31st which I don't think has ever happened), I would read one chapter from the books of Moses, starting with Genesis 1, with intention to continue through the history of Israel ending with Nehemiah. I would then read one chapter from the poetic books starting with Job 1 and continuing through Song of Solomon. Next would be a chapter from the prophets starting with Isaiah 1 and reading through to Malachi. I would then read a chapter from the New Testament starting with Matthew 1. If I have time I add a 5th chapter and divide the New Testament reading the gospels and Acts and then a chapter from the letters. The wonderful payback of this is that I began to see themes through these disparate chapters as I read and jotted down a quick note from each. Several years ago someone put out a chronological bible and reading now and then has been helpful in seeing the sweep of God's plan in history. I still have trouble remembering which prophet went with which king but I'm working on it. Use a bible which doesn't leave out portions of Scripture because it may be repeated in another place – you don't want to rely on that sort of editing. Christy Neal is reading NIV's The One Year Chronological Bible and says it is laid out across the page in a way she finds easy to read. Gretchen Fleming has been an encouragement to all of us to read chronologically together and Jo An Smidley organizes a time to discuss together so watch the bulletin for this.
I don't like notes and commentary in my bible – it distracts me from the word. Remember if there is commentary you have to make sure it is accurate and not distortion of the word. This can be difficult if you are new to the word as well as distracting and time consuming. Make sure you are reading an actual translation of the Bible not a paraphrase.
Don't check your brain at the door when you read. The word will become its own commentary as you read. Don't forget that as you read you have the Holy Spirit looking over your shoulder (or are you looking over His?) He will guide you into all truth. Spurgeon writes, "The mind wearies of one thing and we have therefore studied variety…" This year we are reading through the King James again and the beauty of the language ministers to me so much.

2. Pray the Word. As I read the word, I find my spirit wanting to pray according to the word. I've found it helpful to write these prayer notes in the margin of my notebook and then take the time to pray through them for my family and for the needs of the day after the bible reading.

3. Memorize the Word. Pick a verse, a paragraph, a chapter and start learning it by heart. Remember John 14:20 "He that has my Word and keeps it, this is the one who loves me…" Jesus is telling us to hide God's word in our hearts.

4. Meditate on the Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with the Word – to remind you of it all day long. "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers." Psalm 1:1-3 (RSV)

Jill Mattox told us she likes to have a devotional commentary to read with her thru the Bible time– she mentioned Streams in the Desert. Kay Arthur's little book on the names of God is good as well. One year I read Matthew Henry's commentary on each chapter which was too much for the devotional time. I try to keep the extra reading simple – it starts to crowd out the word but it can be helpful in jump-starting your soul devotionally.
Charles H. Spurgeon's Morning and Evening is wonderful and never fails to spark my flagging spirit. Let me end this with his comment on morning devotions:
"Morning exercises have ever been dear to enlightened, heaven loving souls, and it has been their rule never to see the face of man till they have first seen the face of God … The first hour of every morning should be dedicated to the Lord, whose mercy gladdens it with golden light. The eye of day openeth its lids, and in so doing opens the eyes of hosts of heaven-protected slumberers: it is fitting that those eyes should first look up to the great Father of Lights, the fount and source of all the good upon which the sunlight gleams…
Morning devotion anchors the soul so that it will not very readily drift far away from God during the day: the morning is the gate of the day, and should be well guarded with prayer. It is one end of the thread on which the day's actions are strung, and should be well knotted with devotion. If we felt more the majesty of life, we should be more careful of its mornings. He who rushes from his bed to his business and waits not to worship is as foolish as though he had not put on his clothes, or cleansed his face, and as unwise as though he dashed into battle without arms or armor."