The Quiet Time Series
1. Not a Cleansing Rite
2. Defined
3. My Failure
4. What is it Good For?
5. Advice
Why is one’s “quiet time” important? In his Systematic Theology Wayne Grudem says that sanctification is “a progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives.” That sanctification is God’s work, not ours, is demonstrated through Jesus’ prayer for his people in Jn. 17 when he prays that the Father would sanctify us. More specifically we understand that it is the Holy Spirit using the word of God to bring about real conformity to the image of Christ, the restoration of the imago dei in men (Jn. 17:17; 2 Thess. 2:13). We yearn for this change, or growth, because in a way it is a returning home. Our progressive salvation is a return to what we are supposed to be; it is a brighter reflection of the character of God; it is a restoration of our humanity that we actually experience this side of the resurrection. This is something we all want, and are more likely to experience as private worship is a part of our lives.
Knowing that God changes us and uses his word to do it requires us to not only give ourselves to the reading and contemplation of Scripture, but also to submit ourselves to it wholly (read obedience). It would be a mistake to conceive of sanctification as the mere product of a 30 minute devotional exercise where one reads the Bible and prays, but I do believe that the quiet time, or private worship, is the best context in which the work of change begins. This is a time when God speaks to us through his word precisely where we need to hear it. Here the word of God is received by faith and is then, or later, applied to the heart and is effectual to bring about the spiritual growth we need.
This shows the value of private worship beyond what is often offered as a motive: duty. We should spend time with God and his word for the joy of meeting with him and being conformed to his image. When I have my head on right, this is why I wake up and open my Bible. Before sermon preparation, beyond a sense of duty, I spend time with God because it is a part of my hope of becoming more like him.
Much more could be said about the relationship between sanctification and private worship, but for now let’s conclude that there is a relationship and be encouraged to seek God in such a time.
I am the Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship; husband to Jen; Dad to Katherine, Elias, Madeline, and Kilian. If you're in town you can probably find me in the local coffee house or running through the neighborhoods.
{ 10 comments }
Very encouraging post Joe. Let me ask you this: does this private worship time, which we both agree is very important in the life of a believer, have to be a well-organized, same time every day type of arrangement?
I agree that private worship (personal devotions, quiet time, etc) is essential to a vibrant Christian faith. I’ve found in my own life that when I try to justify not having a quiet time, it’s always because of being sinfully lazy, sinfully busy, or sinfully un-motivated.
Blessings,
Danny
Jason, I don’t think the Bible teaches a “well-organized, same time every day” approach to private worship. That seems to work well for many, but for others it simply does not happen that way. The important thing is to spend time daily with God praying and meditating on his word. Getting alone for this is important. Beyond that I think it can and should take different forms.
Great series, Joe. I’ve linked to it for our church and readers. Thanks and God bless.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer on ‘quiet times’ speaks generally to issues of time of day, regularity, and duration from “Life Together” (translated by John Doberstein, pub. by Harper & Row 1954):
“The Scriptures tell us that the first thought and the first word of the day belong to God (citations omitted)… The Bible also speaks of the morning hour as the time of God’s special help (citations omitted)… For Christians the beginning of the day should not be burdened and oppressed with besetting concerns for the day’s work. At the threshold of the new day stands the Lord who made it…All unrest, all impurity, all care and anxiety flee before him. Therefore, at the beginning of the day let all distraction and empty talk be silenced and let the first thought and the first word belong to him to whom our whole life belongs… With remarkable frequency the Scriptures remind us that the men of God rose early to seek God and carry out His commands, as did Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and Joshua (cf. Gen. 19:27, 22:3; Ex. 8:16, 9:13, 24:4, Josh. 3:1, 6:12, etc.). The Gospel, which never speaks a superfluous word, says of Jesus himself: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mk 1:35).’ (Life Together, p.43-44)”
“Since meditation on the Scriptures, prayer, and intercession are a service we owe and because the grace of God are found in this service, we should train ourselves to set apart a regular hour for it, as we do for every other service we perform. This is not ‘legalism’; it is orderliness and fidelity. For most people the early morning will prove to be the best time. We have a right to this time, even prior to the claims of other people, and we may insist upon having it as a completely undisturbed quiet time despite all external difficulties. For the pastor it is an indispensible duty and his whole ministry will depend on it. Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?” (Life Together, p.87)
I challenge anyone to reflect upon these thoughts, and explain how one can better glorify God and be ‘acting in faith’ (anything that does not proceed from faith is sin) by leaving off a morning quiet time similar to that expressed ‘quiet time’ as reflected above.
Steve, I think you’re jumping the gun a bit. This post is simply pointing out the benefit of the quiet time, not arguing for anything else.
But I promise an upcoming post will deal with all of the things you are bringing up, and of course you are welcome to leave relevant comments there.
The great British missionary George Mueller on morning ‘quiet times’, from his autobiography, from excerpt available here.
Edit by Joe Thorn: Steve, please don’t post lengthy material from others in the comments. But feel free to put up a link if you like. Thanks.
response to #6: Appreciate the series, Joe, just trying to set the tone a bit and embolden you a little to not feel you are not too far out on a limb in daring to push just a little bit more on making regular morning meditative times in the Word and prayer a strong ‘normative’ biblical principle commended (if not necessarily universally mandated as 100% imperative) for all believers unless they can come up with some real good reason why they are an individual exception as they seek to glorify God. I could list many more historical heroes of the faith that strongly urge intense regular devotional times in the morning, but will take your hint (for now).
Thanks for understanding Steve. I am actually building to something that I imagine you will mostly like (who knows, maybe you’ll like it all). But I am building, one small piece at a time. I have found that just jumping to the end, or the carrying-out of the habit itself, is less fruitful than my approach.
Joe, I love your posts on quiet time. I felt like a failure for many years because I didn’t maintain a regular morning quiet time. Then it was pointed out to me that for thousands of years that most believers did not have acess to a personal copy of the Scripture…they could not “read their Bible every day”…
I came to understand daily quiet time is a private devotional thing between Him and me. He and I have a relationship…our fellowship is ongoing. Sometimes my quiet time takes place in the car as I travel alone; sometimes on the steps outside; sometimes in the solitude of the kitchen as I wash dishes. I may meditate on a Scripture committed to memory, or on his blessings; or I may pour out my longings and desires and disappointments. At any rate, the time is private and devotional. There is no right or wrong way to do it, nothing to be measured.
It certainly behooves any believer to know and understand the Scripture. This is where and why ongoing regular Bible study is imperative. It can be during a quiet time; but it can be in Sunday School, while hearing radio Bible teaching, etc. At any rate it is a personal study of the Bible aided by the teaching and instruction of the Holy Spirit and those teachers we avail ouselves of. At any rate, we work out what “works” for us—with the life and schedule God gives us.
To assess a person’s spirituality based upon a measure or assessment of one’s quiet time is a travesty. We have not arrived…we are “walking”…thankfully in the grace God extends to us…He is gracious.
If we are failing in any area or any way He is capable of pricking our hearts and wooing us back to Himself. We certainly don’t need to be beaten over the head by believers who deem themselves our judge and say we are less than because we don’t do quiet time their way.
Yes, Jesus rose early in the morning and went to a quiet place and prayed. But he also did not marry.
I am married; and often there is not a quiet place for me to go, and usually not early in the morning. But that does not preclude my quiet devotional time with Him. When I was desiring to maintain a daily quiet time, it was a matter of pride…no one was going to be able to point the finger at me. Now I say, point all you want. I know I am “less than”…I can admit that…..but, He loves me anyway. And I have nothing to prove.
I don’t have to prove my righteousness to anyone, nor should I even try. I think trying to “prove” my righteousness only shows how unrighteous I really am.
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