I have recently been convicted about the time (or lack of time) that I spend with my Lord and Savior. I must confess that I have never gotten into the habit of my daily quiet time. I have tried many times. I have even done it for a few weeks at a time, but never long term, never permanently. I mean really... can I not find 15 minutes for God each day???
I recently had a conversation with a very dear friend of mine. I shared with her my intense desire to have a relationship with Jesus that I only hear a very few people talk about. I hear them say that their relationship with HIM is the their most cherished relationship, they often talk about this intense love for Him. I am not talking about the people that say it because it sounds good, but the people who really mean it. You can see it all over them and hear it in their voice. I am confident that I am going to Heaven, but I don’t want to live my entire life and miss it. I don’t want to be the typical Christian who knows the answers, lives pretty good, but misses out on the most important part of Christianity... the relationship.
After our conversation I began to evaluate my motives for this 15 minute quiet time and the guilt I have for not doing it. If I spend 15 minutes a day 7 days a week, I have given God 1 hour and 45 minutes. In that 15 minutes, I might get a little Bible reading in and rattle off my list of requests to Him for the day. Check mark... done! I got in my quiet time. Fifteen minutes does not even allow me to quiet my mind. No wonder I have never embraced this time, for me, it is useless. It is a one way, half-hearted communication with God. I started thinking, what if I set aside 2 days each week, maybe 3 days, where I give God one hour.... hmmmm.
I tried it!
Boy, was I amazed! In that hour, I sat still for 5 minutes, just thinking about God... praising Him, allowing Him, asking him to just love on me. Nothing more, I did not ask for anything! What happened, my mind was clear, I was focused. Then I began to read, asking God to speak to me, personally. I went to Ephesians. At first I was reading, thinking this was no different than any other time I had been reading but then a verse stopped me in my tracks. Wow I said. I read and reread it and reread it again. Then I read on. I could not believe it. God was really talking to ME! He was telling ME things. By this time, I am getting excited. It had only been 20 minutes. I thought about what he told me, I wrote it down, thanking God for this wonderful communication with me! Then I began to pray. This was not a quick... rattle off all I need and want and intercessions because I have 15 minutes. I started by praising Him and thanking Him. Then I was able to pray from my heart, confessing sin and doubts that had been building up. I pleaded with Him for people in my life who are hurting.
In then end, I spent one hour and 5 minutes with Him and it was WONDERFUL!!! My time with Jesus, was rich and meaningful and left me looking forward to my next time with Him... kind of like after a great date :-) A couple of nights later, I did the same thing, following the same pattern and had a similar experience, reading from Colossians and God was again talking to ME!
What did I learn from this... the reason my 15 minute quiet time has never become a part of my life is because it was meaningless for me. It was me fulfilling a man-made rule and I got nothing from it. In 2 preset appointments with God, I got more than I would have in 2 months of 15 minute quiet times. I also have found myself having more daily communication with God. Thinking of Him, praying for people and looking forward to my next meeting with Him. What a blessing! Rather than convicting myself to 15 minutes a day and feeling guilty when I don’t or can’t, I desire my 2 hours with God each week. This is freedom for me from a man-made rule, that may just change my life!
Blessings to you all!
