“I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word.”
Psalm 119:15-16 (NLT).
It’s 8:00 in the evening. The kids are finally in the bed, the last of the dinner dishes have just been loaded into the dishwasher, the coffee pot is set for tomorrow and the kids lunches are packed in the fridge. You heave a great big thankful sigh, walk into your living room, get ready to sit down in your comfy chair and put your feet up to relax, when you remember you haven’t spent any time with the Lord that day. The feeling of guilt washes over you, followed by the mental war of whether to give yourself grace and go relax or dutifully go and open your Bible to at least pray a Psalm of thanksgiving for making it through another crazy day. Ever had one of those days? I know I have! And it’s never a fun way to end a day.
First, let me say this: please choose grace in those situations. God chooses grace every day with the atoning sacrifice of His Son. Secondly, it’s much easier for me to have my quiet time with the Lord if I have a plan and stick to it. I’d like to share a couple of those strategies with the hope that they will help you too.
- Set aside time when you are most alert. If you are a night owl and come alive after your children are in bed to spend time with God, wonderful! That’s not me. I have to choose to go to bed early enough so I can set my alarm to wake up before my kiddo to get my time in with the Lord.
- Have all your quiet time stuff (whatever you use: Bible dictionaries, journals, colored pencils…) all in one spot. There’s been one too many times the Lord has revealed something new and insightful from His Word to me and I’ve forgotten it because I was too lazy to get up and grab a pen. It’s MUCH easier when everything is already in one spot.
- Have a plan. Yes, God can use the “closing your eyes, opening your Bible and laying your finger on any part of the page” method, I do not recommend this as a regular routine. Choose the gospels, the Pentateuch, the epistles of Paul… go online where there’s many wonderful suggestions. Just have a plan.
- Use the wonderful resources of technology we have our fingertips this day and age! But, if one of your weaknesses is opening your phone or computer and automatically going to Facebook, Instagram or E-mail, try and turn the technology off for a while.
5. Finally, EXPECT the Holy Spirit to speak directly to you when studying the Bible. Bible commentaries are wonderful, but don’t rely upon them. Know that the Holy Spirit is the revealer of Truth Who brings understanding to the scriptures and He lives inside you! Ask Him to help you understand what you’re reading.
Noree Wegmeyer
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