This message is brought to you by the letter K, as in Kara with a K.

I saw her comment late last night as we were coming home and I thought, “I should probably address some of that”.  Interestingly, Kara said that she had to wait for Quiet Times: What I Did Not Believe About Them – Part 3, that is because I was teaching on it earlier this week, at my house.

There is no better atmosphere than someone’s home and I love to host anything.  This does meant that, although I like to think that I am superwoman, I can’t seem to do everything.  This is a frequent source of frustration for me.  So, Part 3 showed up yesterday.

As I was presenting on this Tuesday night, I had some of the same discussions that Kara brought up in her comment.  My quiet time, what is it really like?

This is a question that I will ask of anyone.  I love to hear how people spend time with the Lord.  I love to hear how people enrich any relationship, from husband to family.  Some people journal and their quiet times revolve around these amazing records of time spent with Christ.  I will be honest.  I would love to be one of those people, but I am not.  I am a periodic prayer journaler.

I would love to say that I am a patient prayer warrior.  I am not that, either.  Prayer is a skill that I have desired to learn.  It differs from journaling because prayer is a cornerstone in this relationship.  In fact, the two things I know must be done in quiet are scripture and prayer.  If I complete these, I am happy.  Anything else is icing on the cake, including all bible studies and devotional material.

I am often a distracted pray-er.  I have found that when my brain refuses to cooperate, standing and praying, out loud, does wonders.  It is also biblical.  It helps my focus and makes it wonderfully worshipful.  So, there is a bonus for the effort.

When I say the word quiet, I am fully aware that silence is a privilege for many.  When there are children running around and the word “Mom” is repeated twelve times a minute, silence may never occur.  On Tuesday, we talked about quiet as creating space for the Holy Spirit.  There are many life stages that require us to be flexible enough to seize the time when it rears its head.  This may include locking oneself in the bathroom for ten minutes, while someone else watches the kids.

The most important element of a quiet time is consistency.  I do not say this to shame anyone who misses a quiet time.  If I miss a day, it will be Sunday.  It is just a day unlike others for me with church and the many obligations that we have there.  It is, also, date day with my husband.  I do not feel guilty about missing this day, when it does happen.

Have you noticed that this type of guilt will make you shy about approaching Him again?  I urge anyone to think of the source of that guilt.  God is gentle when He disciplines, He

does not push away or shame.

So

to answer your question, Kara, I am currently following a year reading plan.  Specifically, I am reading one that schedules OT, Psalms, Proverbs and NT every day.  The variety really helps keep up the momentum.

I am going to finish it early, and I don’t know whether I will start it again, immediately, or go where the Spirit leads for a while.  I have done both.  I love a year plan because we really need to know these books, and it is doable with a little discipline.  We are preparing for our hope of salvation based on what we find, cover to cover.  That is a great reason to become familiar with the text.

A woman on Tuesday said something interesting to me.  She explained that when she did not have a plan, she tended to go to the familiar so she never got around to reading the whole book.  I think this is true of everyone.  We move toward what we know.

Thank you so much, Kara, for asking this.  I anyone has quiet time tips, please share.  It is a great way to help sisters along.

But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil. – Hebrews 5:14, NRSV

Marriage has afforded me a front row seat to study my husband.  I have looked into his face thousands of times.  He has one face where he sticks his tongue out just a bit.  It is a cross between humor and mischief.  Mostly mischief.

When he is agreeing with one of my crazy notions, with eyes locked, his eyebrows go up just a little and he nods his head.  This is usually accompanied by an, “Mm Hm”.

I say that certain characteristics are just like him, but not exactly.  My time of study has shown that he is unique.   From the way he expresses his love for me to the the way he stands in front of the refrigerator looking for a drink, he is completely his own.

There are faces that are worth the practice. 

They are worth reading each line, listening to every story.

The time that I spend with Christ is practice.

To exist in a world contrary to my Spirit, I need to know what is like Him, and what is unlike Him.  To make decisions for my family, I need to know how He expresses joy or warning into my heart.  I need to build a history with Him and, like any history, this happens face-to-face.

In the quiet, He teaches me His cues.  He takes my face in His hand and tells me to study the lines of His word.

What I learn at my kitchen table is never wasted.  Training of faith assures me that I will see the word, living.  Perhaps I will recognize Him when I stand waiting in a hall, understanding the intrusion of a stranger as a conversation marked in eternity.  It could be in the offer of rides or delivery of meals.

Always, it happens in relationship.

Always, it comes from the training He intends for my maturity.

I don’t know how the simple act of sitting before Him transforms moments to mission and abolishes coincidence, except that all time lives in Him.  I simply know that the privilege of a living faith starts with practice.

That is what I did not believe about quiet times…before.

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Click to read, Quiet Times: What I Did Not Believe About Them – Part 1, and Part 2.