So - What Purpose?

Okay, so we decided to approach our quiet time with a purpose. What does that mean? What purpose are we talking about? If quiet time is suppose to have purpose then how do we figure out what purpose and how do we know we have achieved our purpose?

Not easy questions, but I think important to consider as we continue on our journey. Let's go back to the analogy of the business meeting. Whenever we go to a business meeting, we expect it to have an agenda, some reason for us to get together, some expected outcome. We don't just gather around the table to look at each other. We expect to get something out of it. But each person there may expect something different. The boss may expect agreement with a new product idea he thought up last week. The staff may be expecting announcement of a raise. The finance officer may be expecting layoffs to be announced because of a deficit in cash flow. But everyone comes to the meeting with expectations.

Our individual expectations will be different when we meet with God, also. Hopefully, we can all agree on at least one purpose - to learn more about him and grow our relationship with him. But that will probably not be your only purpose for meeting with him on any given day. You will bring your concerns, your joys, your needs, your frustrations - bring everything to him. The Psalmist reminds us to "cast your cares upon the Lord." (Ps 55:22) Leaning on him will build your relationship with him as you learn to trust him with everything you have - including you.

So we start our list of expectations with building our relationship with God. Second might be understanding his purpose for our life. Third might be working through a particular issue you're facing. Whatever it is you want to meet with God about, have a purpose. Expect to hear from him. Expect an outcome - although it may not be the answer you want, if it is from God it will be the answer you need!

Will Rogers use to say it is much better to aim at something and miss it than to aim at nothing and hit it. That's true of our quiet time with God. If we don't know why we are meeting with him or what we want from our encounter with him, how will we know whether or not we are growing or achieving what he wants with us in those precious moments we have with him?

Next time we will begin to discuss the components of our quiet time - scripture reading; prayer; memorization; meditation; Bible study.

Until then, may God bless your purpose filled time with him.

Quiet Time with a Purpose

How do approach your quiet time with God? If you are like most people, you probably find a few left over minutes and read a few Bible verses, tell God the things you need, maybe read a page from a devotional and go about the rest of your day. If you figured out the importance of your devotional time, perhaps you set a specific time for your devotions, maybe even a specific place. Perhaps you have a Bible reading plan and a format for prayer.

I spent most of my early Christian devotional life in just that pattern and thought I was doing great. But as I've matured, I frankly felt frustrated by slower growth than I wanted. I often felt disconnected in my devotions. Everything seemed one way. The proverbial "brass ceiling" was very present many days and weeks and months. Then I started thinking about the way I approached my business meetings and asked myself why I sometimes got more out of them than I did out of my devotional time.

It didn't take long to figure it out. I came to my business meetings with an agenda, a purpose, a desired (and expected) outcome. I approached my meetings with God with none of those tools. My next thought was that if my time in business meetings were important enough to make me approach them with a purpose, wasn't my time with God at least that important?

The simple change - quiet time with a purpose - revolutionized my devotion time. When I think ahead about how I want to spend my time alone in God's presence and plan for that meeting, what a difference it makes. Just like a business meeting with an agenda versus one without, my meetings with God make a difference in me. Quiet time is no longer habit, but character building. It is no longer one-way conversation, but meaningful dialog. I'm growing as never before.

The creator of the universe invites us into His office to commune with Him. Before you enter, why do you want to go there? Think about it. Have a purpose - maybe even write it down. Focus on it. It will change your time with Him.

More next time.

I know few Christians who do not want to be closer to God. I also know few Christian who are willing to spend the time and effort necessary to do so. Too often we assume that once we have asked Christ to forgive us of our sins that we have done all we need to do. Try that with your spouse after you say "I do." It takes a lifetime of effort to build a lasting relationship with your spouse. Why do we think it would take anything less to build a lasting relationship with God.


Together we will explore our quiet time with God. How do we use the time we spend in scripture reading, prayer, meditation, study, scripture memorization? Is it just habit or do we approach it with a purpose? Do we expect to get something out of our time with God? That is what this journey is all about - spending time with Him so that He can teach us.

Enjoy the ride!!