Around the office, we joke about what to write in our newsletter articles. Some of us plan out our articles in series that we believe will be helpful to you, our church family. Some of us wait until the deadline, and then write about recent events or things that have been on our heart. I would like to finish out this year’s articles by writing on very practical issues in the Christian’s life. I will begin with the importance of a quiet time. Anyone who has been in Southern Baptist churches for any amount of time has heard a lot about how they should have a quiet time. Although this can be redundant and sometimes naggy…we are blessed to be in a denomination that emphasizes the importance of having a personal relationship with God.
Christianity is set apart from all the other world religions because it is centered on having a RELATIONSHIP with the Holy God! All other religions fall tremendously short because they do not solve the problem of sin and separation with God: they simply give a list of guidelines by which you earn your way to heaven.
Because Christianity is based on a relationship with God…we know how to “practice” our religion. We practice Christianity just like we develop any relationship…by communication. Since the beginning of time, God’s plan for His people is to have a relationship with them. From the garden where they walked with God in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8), to the wilderness where God dwelt among His people in the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35), to the last days in which we live where the curtain has been torn in two (Matthew 27:51) and WE ARE the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (I Corinthians 6:19-20), God desires a relationship with His Beloved.
And so, for us today, as always, there are two forms of communication with God: incoming and outgoing. With the nation of Israel, incoming communication from God was handled through prophets who delivered God’s messages, and outgoing communication to God was handled by priests who approached God on behalf of the nation. Today, God speaks to us (incoming) through His Word, and we speak to God (outgoing) through prayer. Both forms are approved and commanded by God for us today. This is why it is so important to have a time that you set aside each day to spend working on your relationship with God…i.e. a Quiet Time. All relationships take time and effort invested into communication and conversation…including our all-important relationship with God.
Some might say that having a specific block of time each day is too constraining and even legalistic. I would ask these people to read the accounts of great men and women of faith in the Bible and in our own, rich, Baptist history.
Developing your relationship with God MUST include both of these elements: Scripture intake (reading, studying, memorizing, & meditating) and Prayer. And what is more important when it comes to a conversation with God: talking or listening (of course…true study of God’s Word necessarily drives the redeemed to prayer)??
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
0 comments:
Post a Comment