Quiet Time
Today I want to begin a series of posts that will deal specifically with what has become known as a “Quiet Time.” After spending time at camps this summer I see that many people struggle with this aspect of their Christian journey. This first post will be more of a “blimp view” of the overall motivation for spending time with God, eventually zooming in to some practical steps that can be applied to help us position ourselves to hear from God.
One of the scariest times for me at church camp was quiet time. The period where we were sent away to our corner of the campground with a Bible, pencil, and thirty minutes to sit absolutely still and hope that God would speak to us. I always thought that it was weird that God “speaks” through a book…oddly enough I rarely felt that serene peace come over me-or had the out of body experience that led me into a different realm of God’s love. Honestly speaking- I “made” the Bible come to life when I wanted it too…when I was looking to make something happen. That couldn’t be God, could it? Watching other campers seem so engrossed in their study was torture. What was I missing…did I do something wrong? I was unable to hear God speak to me yet they would come away with insights that made me envious. Maybe you can relate.
In the movie Mall Cop Paul Blart is a timid security guard who deals with rejection and hurt by eating it away. His life is lit up when he meets Amy-a girl who works at a kiosk in the mall. He is very uptight at first around her- getting nervous and over-thinking things way too much. To the point where it is weird…even I felt uncomfortable for him! Then one night he is invited to eat out with some fellow workers at the mall. Inadvertently he drinks a pitcher of Margarita mix and gets totally plastered. His approach to Amy completely shifts. All inhibitions melt away and he makes a complete fool out of himself…mindlessly.
When we approach the Bible I think it is easy to gravitate towards one side of this spectrum. One side tends to over-think things; uptight, nervous…flat out uncomfortable when approaching the Bible. Information gets in the way of relating with and to the person. Or the other side, where there is no thought whatsoever given to the person whom you are relating with. A casual approach to the Bible that doesn’t think about it at all…just reads it mindlessly. Both sides destroy the ability to truly relate with a person, in this case Christ. By over-thinking, we block out intimacy with Jesus because we are laying him out on a table to be observed and dissected as if he were a project, and not a person. By not thinking at all, we flippantly approach God and don’t give a passing thought to what we are reading- and never take the time to let him speak. We need balance. Listen to the following words:
“Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.” - Paul
God isn’t a cosmic college professor who desires to give you intellectual tests on how many verses that you can quote, or how well your systematic theology is in line. Yet, neither is he a passive Father who goes with the flow and cares nothing about what you know of Him. He “wants” to be known…In a way that is deeper than the intellect only… in a way that is deeper than in the heart only…he wants you to know him with both. In both knowledge and heart; somewhere in the middle of this spectrum. Approaching God with both a sharp & prepared mind, yet with a soft and pliable heart. How can we do this?
Our goal in Quiet Time-reading the Bible- above all else is to “know” the All-Knowing, not to become the all-knowing. The Scriptures are a revelation “from” God that points to the revelation “of” God…Jesus Christ. The Bible isn’t a textbook that is intended to boost your intellect apart from knowing Christ. It is rooted in knowing Jesus. Did you get that? Listen to the words of Jesus:
“This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One you have sent -Jesus Christ.”
Not about the information that we can extract, but the person we can encounter. It’s about encountering Jesus-hands down. He is the revelation of God and the Scriptures point to Him! Any Bible study, devotion, quiet time, or Christian book that is not rooted in the person of Jesus is worthless! Intellectual growth in Christian faith has to be birthed out of love and connection in the person of Jesus. He is the one we approach when we open the Scripture! Maybe today as you open the Bible-you can approach it not as simply a textbook or flippantly browse over it-but rather a window into the person of Jesus. As you read may you be drawn to the true Word of God-Jesus Christ!
