When I was a young Christian growing up in my local church I was taught the importance of having a few moments during the day to read my Bible and pray to God so as to experience the personal presence of the Lord and to grow and be encouraged in my faith.
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In recent years alongside my own private quiet times I have had the opportunity to share twice a week on Zoom. It has included Holy Communion, readings from scripture and shared prayers of praise and thanksgiving and petitions for the needs and healing of those we love and have a concern for.
We conclude by hearing the wonderful words from Psalm 91: 1 being reminded that as ‘we abide in the shelter of the Most High we will rest in the shadow of the Almighty’ (NIV version).
Over the next few Insights I will be reflecting on the ‘Question of what is the point of a Quiet Time, Worship, Holy Communion, Service and Witness’ of which I hope you will find helpful and encouraging.
The Custom and Practice of a Quiet Time.
In the Psalms the writer reveals lots of conversions with God about periods of lament, praise of creation and the offering up of a simple joy and trust in God through meditation on scripture and contemplative prayer. At the beginning of this Insight I want to refer to Psalm 63: 1 “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (NIV).
In such quiet times with the Lord we bring ourselves as we are and trust, that we may be fed and watered spiritually to embark on all that life has in store for us each and every day.
In the earthly ministry of Jesus he felt it was important to take time to be quiet and pray and rest in the presence of the Father God ( Matthew 14:22 -23). Throughout the Old Testament the Lord took time to speak to Adam and Eve, Noah, to Enoch and to Abraham.
We also have a record of the Prophets praying to God and hearing God’s voice as they dwelt on the Hebrew Scriptures and then sharing wise words and instructions to the people they served. We have the example of Daniel praying three times a day as was the custom: morning, noon and at night (Daniel 6:10).
Liturgical Prayers and Bible Reading
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From the Essences in the Dead Sea to Monasteries, Abbey’s and Retreat Centre’s there has existed in various forms a Liturgy of the Hours. Within the United Kingdom we see the remains of certain Monasteries, and Abbey’s that existed as a place of prayer and Bible study that was reflected in a life of practical and pastoral support to their local communities and nation.
There are other Biblical references to individuals taking time to study and pray as follows:
Psalm 5: 3 ‘In the morning, O Lord, consider my sighting. Listen to my cry for help my King and my God, for to you I pray’.
Psalm 46: 10 ‘Be still, and know that I am God’.
Psalm 63: 6 Lord, ‘On my bed I remember you, I think of you through the watches of the night.’
Isaiah 30: 15 ‘In quietness and trust is your strength’.
Matthew 6:6 ‘When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen’ (All verses from the NIV version).
Private Study of the Bible and Prayers
If Jesus felt it was important to spend time with his Heavenly Father then I think for Christians wanting to grow and mature in their faith and witness, there is a point and value in cultivating and maintaining a personal time of quiet meditation on the Bible and in prayer. The prophet Isaiah in his everyday life was confronted by the Lord to respond to a call to go and share the love of God to all around him.
He expressed that he was a man of unclean lips and wanted to be cleansed and empowered so as to be able to fulfil that calling from the Lord. As with Samson and all that follow the Lord our strength and forgiveness comes from the Lord as we take time to dwell in his presence and be guided and empowered accordingly Isaiah 6: 1 – 8 (NIV).
How can the Bible Speak to Us?
The question has always been asked as to how God can speak to us so personally and directly. Moses was asked to climb Mount Sinai and was in a direct conversation with the Lord. The outcome was the written Ten Commandments that acted as a moral code for the nation of Israel. Jesus during his travels took time out to pray and as a result shared his Sermon on the Mount which compliments the Ten Commandments for daily Christian living and worship.
When we read and see any words in a written or visual form they will convey a particular message that is communicated for a specific purpose. Those who work in the advertisement industry know the value of words to instruct, entice, and chastise us. Words of folly, comfort and wisdom do affect us in how we interpret and apply them.
Models for Study and Prayer
In the 17th century a man called Lawrence lived and worked in a Carmelite Monastery in Paris as a lay brother and served in the kitchen which he didn’t like. However, in seeking to do everything for the love of God he was able to practice the Presence of God in prayer and worship as he worked and thereafter became known as Brother Lawrence.
Today there are many models of prayer and Bible study even in the context of rest and work. Some pray first and then study from the Bible yet many others do the opposite with both meaningful.
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When we make space in our busy world to have a quiet time it will include reading sections from the Bible as we see fit and then a time of prayer thanking God, bringing the needs of others to the Lord and affirming our love and loyalty to him.
When we love someone we want to speak to them every day, to be in their presence and to share aspirations, concerns and joys. It is the same when we have a living relationship with the Lord through Jesus Christ our Saviour and then aided by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We can use Bible notes that help us to read the whole of the Bible in one year. There are certain notes by leaders and teachers who make reference to certain sections of the Bible and offer an encouraging application to it.
There are many written and online notes that we can use and listen to with the following just to name a few: Daily Bread Notes, a Word for Today notes by UCB. Encounter with God. The Bible Society. Every Day With Jesus. Lectio 365. Premier Christian Radio and United Christian Broadcast radio. There are also a number of shops and outlets that can provide resources to help us such as Eden.co.uk
These shared times of prayer and study have helped many to renew a flagging faith and to find faith for the first time. Many have been encouraged and found that their non-existent prayer life has blossomed and bloomed so creating very moving and powerful testimonies of the power of God at work in lives as a result of spending quality time with the Lord through prayer and Bible study.
Take Away
Just last week I met somebody who told me that they had grown up in a Christian home and had their own measure of faith but in their mid-years they discarded that faith. After some difficult life situations the person found themselves reading the Bible again and as a result that extinguished faith came back to life in a big way with a joyous spirit of love to people and an enlarged and vibrant faith in God.
In his work he is in a position to meet and greet members of the public and as from the Lord offers help and advice where required with a smile and a private prayer. He was at such peace within himself and showed a radiance that only can come from the Lord himself and maintained by a daily quiet time either in the morning, at midday or at the end of the day.
It was such an encouragement to meet that person and coupled with another report I recently heard is that today many people are finding faith in God on their own without the help of church or even Christian people around them. Hallelujah.
I close with three more scripture verses that are an example and inspiration as we seek to maintain and develop our personal quiet times with the Lord.
Jesus
Mark 1:35 ‘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’ (NIV).
As Individuals
1 Thessalonians 5: 16- 18 ‘Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus’ (NIV).
As a Church
Acts 2: 42 – 47 ‘They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers’ (NIV).
Graham
Selah: (Pause to think calmly on what has just been read) and check out A Time to Worship
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