Ditching Quiet Time

I want you to think with me for just a moment --

Say your spouse (or best friend) came and sat next to you, read a couple chapters in a book about you, then talked at you for a few minutes before hurrying off to take care of other important things.

Now say that, for some time, this has been the only connection between the two of you.
That friendship would probably fizzle out pretty quickly, right?
 
So I ask: Why do we think that is sufficient when it comes to God?

We say God is our friend. We know in our hearts that He wants a relationship with us— yet we treat him differently than we do our very best earthly friends.

What do you do with friends?
Converse.
Relax.
Dine.
Coexist.

Yet we approach God like a subject to be learned, an authoritarian figure to be pleased, a genie to wish upon.
 
If you grew up in the church like me you were taught how to have “quiet time” with the Lord...

Bible? Check.
Devo book? Check.
Journal & Pen? Check.

Then fifteen minutes later we “check” it off our to-do list for the day, thinking we’ve satisfied God’s desire (Oh- but only if it was first thing in the morning.)
 
Reality check: Real relationships are not  “checked”.
 
I don’t “check” time with my husband every day--
Hug? Check.
Kiss? Check.
“I love you.” Check.
I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t make for a long-lasting, fulfilling marriage.
 
No—  real, fulfilling relationships grow organically out of mutual attraction, interests and time spent together; and our relationship with the Lord should be no different.
 
Over the past 6 months my “quiet time” has been completely revolutionized as I began to understand God’s desire for intimacy, not religion.

Some days I read my Bible— but not every day; sometimes I read old journal entries and thank the Lord for His faithfulness through all seasons.

Some days I write. Writing is my calling and as I use the gifts and talents He has placed inside of me I am worshipping Him.

Some days I read many verses; some days I meditate on one.

Some days I even take a nap…right in the middle of it all; relaxing in the presence of the Lord and letting His peace wash over me, removing fear and anxiety.

I converse with the Lord: Sometimes out loud, sometimes via journal; I ask Him questions and sit quietly, waiting on a response (He never fails.)
 
God— the God who created everything out of nothing— wants a relationship with us…
And we feel obligated to spend time with Him?

Or we boil it down to a mere box on our to-do list?
​
This is unthinkable.
 
It’s time to leave behind the “this-is-how-we-do-it” format and get real with God.
It’s time to abandon the checklist and pursue a no holds barred intimacy with Him.
Converse with Him,
Relax with Him,
Dine with Him,
Coexist with Him…
 
Exchange “quiet time” for quality time and experience relationship with God like you never could have imagined.