02 Jul Spending Time With God
Based on Part 1 of the book Be Still My Soul. See the related video discussion here!
Jesus deeply valued spending his time alone with God. Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” He not only set an example of going outdoors to be with God, but he also encouraged us to seek time with God at home:
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)
Like Jesus, we also need to have a sacred time alone with God. Not only do we need to talk to God, but we need to listen to him as well. In prayer we speak to God; He speaks to us through His Word. His Word can profoundly teach our minds and direct our behavior.
When should we spend time with God? It is likely that Jesus spent most of his early mornings in prayer to God:
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
In setting aside our early morning hours for God as Jesus did, we show that this relationship has priority over all else in our lives. This time helps to set our minds and hearts on what is most important right from the start of our day. We can cast our burdens on the Lord before our day begins. We can also thank God for His love, grace, and answers to our prayers.
How often should we spend time with God? While it’s great to begin our day with God, we also need to remain in touch with our Heavenly Father throughout our day. Paul teaches us the following two wise lessons: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col. 3:2), and “pray continually” (1 Thess. 5:17). Let prayer become a constant conversation with God, keeping you connected no matter what your day brings.
This article is based on my book Be Still My Soul. Next week we’ll talk about ideas for how we can spend special times with God outside our daily prayers.
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