Some parents love that newborn stage. The tiny cries. The mitted hands with matching hat. The blinking eyes looking up at you, utterly dependent on you for survival. Some parents are also saints.
I am not some parents.
If I were honest, sometimes the way I feel about that newborn stage is the way I feel about quiet time with Jesus, especially if it’s been a while since he and I have met. Instead of Sweet Girl, I am the one with the blinking eyes in the morning, grasping a cup of coffee (whether it’s hot or cold at this stage of life doesn’t really matter), stumbling around in the dark, hoping to feel his presence, sometimes just going through the motions. Sometimes it takes a shift in my heart to shake this off; most of the time, it requires a decision to spend that time with Jesus, and then my heart catches up. As I make my decision, there are at least three things I need during my time with Jesus.
- Bible
I love to use an actual Bible for my quiet time. A Bible app is great in a pinch, and I love to use it when I’m listening to Scriptures, but in my alone time with Jesus, I want my Bible to have binding. There’s just something about feeling the sleek pages and hearing their the crisp rustle as I flip through the Word. I also love to write in the margins my thoughts and questions and prayers.
Beyond that, incorporating the Word of God into our quiet time with Jesus is imperative. Besides worship music, besides prayers, the Bible reveals to us who God is and what God’s will is. We can be reminded of God’s love and faithfulness to us. Scripture also shapes our identity in Christ. When the world, when the Evil One, when we ourselves tell lies about us, we can combat that with the Truth found in the Bible.
- Journal
Journaling helps me remember what God has shown me in Scriptures. I am able to slow down and write out my prayers, and I record what God has been speaking to me. Journals then become a record of my faith development.
- Plan
If I don’t plan something, it doesn’t happen. Having a reading plan is one less decision to make when facing the choice to hit snooze one more time in the morning or to get out of bed and start the day with the One who made it. Every season is different, so our reading plans may be different as well. Right now, with Sweet Girl, I find I am reading less of the Bible but reading it very purposefully. I am currently reading through Philippians in small chunks. I reflect on the shorter passages throughout the day, often returning to them and rereading them. If you’ve never set up a daily quiet time with Jesus, I recommend starting with a Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John); read a chapter a day and ask yourself, “What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus according to what I read today?”
As Sweet Girl comes towards the end of the “fourth trimester,” there has been a shift in both of us. She has grown more alert and interactive (is there anything more rewarding than a baby’s smile?), and I have become more in-tuned with how she communicates with me. In the chill of morning, as she stirs for the day, I am eager to meet her. This came with spending oodles of time with her. Is it any different with Jesus? When we make time with Jesus a priority, we can hear his voice clearly. When we give Jesus our best, we anticipate with great expectation what could happen in our meetings. Give me Jesus—his grandeur and glory await.
Movement Step: What do you need to make quiet time with Jesus consistent? A shift in wake up time? Support from a spouse or roommate to give you that space? A plan? Gather what you need because Jesus is eager to meet with you.
