The daily habit that changes lives

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The daily habit that changes lives

Christians of all traditions have been found by a daily habit, which changes their lives.

It’s a habit that rebalances the day. It refocuses the inner person. Its sets a frame in which to face the movement, challenges, opportunities and shades of grey that beyond in our outer world.

It’s the habit of personal daily prayer and Bible, known as personal devotions, quiet time, God-time or just plain Bible and prayer.

Where did this habit come from? Here and there we catch glimpses of it in the Bible. The ‘blessed man’ of Psalm 1 mediated on God’s word as a daily habit (Ps 1:2). David prayed morning and evening (Ps 5:3). Daniel had a habit of triple daily prayers that not even the threat of lions should shake (Dn 6:10). Jesus rose before the sun to pray (Mrk 1:35).

Patterns vary, but here are some things people find helpful:

A habit

·      Make it a habit that’s as fixed as your morning shower, coffee or breakfast. (Or as fixed as your evening routines.)

The timing

·      Do God-time before the day gets moving. Some do it as they have breakfast. Others arrive at work early and do it before opening email. (Of course, others will equally well find that it is best to do this as part of the day-end routine.)

·      Allow good leisured time for this. Think of it as a conversation with a friend where there is the pleasure of lingering in their presence and where initial small talk on mundane matters sets the platform for a deeper conversation.

·      Use a timing device to set a boundary to your God-time. Few of us will need it to limit the time, but many will need it to keep in God’s presence God for a decent time. For starters, try for a 15-minute slot and then work up towards the target you set.

Get moving

·      Sit somewhere where you won’t be disturbed by your environment or by other people. A habitual place is good.

·      Remember why you are doing this. It is because God is all in all (Rom 11:36). He made you, sustains the universe and has loved you into life. Spending time with him is like breathing. It is also a delight ...more lastingly and deeply delightful than those lingering times with an earthly loved one.

·      Begin the time with prayer that God will be present through his Spirit to meet with you.

·      Play some sacred music as you start, preferably something that puts your attention of God and not on you or your response to him. This is the time to listen to the sacred music that touches you, whatever the style is.

Bible

·      Read the text of the Bible. Good devotional notes can be useful, but the closer we get to God’s word the better.

·      Read in different translations.

·      Read in your mother tongue.

·      Read an appropriately sized portion: think of it as a meal rather than as a snack.

·      Take time to reflect on what you read … maybe jot some notes ...and certainly take time to pray God’s word into your heart and day. Ask what there is for you to know, believe and do.

Prayer

·      Consider using a prayer book such as Valley of Vision, not as a substitute for your own prayers but to get them moving.

·      Keep a prayer diary and write in it.

·      Remember that writing a point in a prayer diary is not the same as praying.

·      Pray over each point (or section of points) as you write them. Many find that this enables more focussed prayer then writing a long prayer list and praying it all in one longer prayer.

·      Take time for intentional prayer across the spectrum of ACTS (adoration, confession, thanks, supplication).

·      Put your prayers of supplication on the big frames of God’s name, kingdom and will (Matt 6:9-10).

·      Do a reverse Acts 1:8 prayer. Pray on the distant horizons of God’s wider kingdom and work before you come to your own needs. We will always pray for ourselves, but if we start there, we may not rise above it.

·      Before praying about some matter, consider how God may see it. What would most please God and serve his kingdom glory in this matter? That’s bound to be a prayer more within his will (1 Jn 5:14) than a prayer framed through our needs or those of the people we pray for.

Closing

·      Allow some time at the end to close your eyes, be still and know that he is God (Ps 46:10). This may be a time for some more sacred music, but don’t let it crowd out the voice of God as he speaks to your soul.
·      Don’t forget that you can pray more than once during the day. Consider setting an electronic reminder to foster a habit of shorter prayers, maybe three times daily.

We will all have good and less good days with this daily habit. Persist anyway, knowing that prayer and Bible are two of the means of grace that god habitually uses to draw near to his people.  And, of course, supplement these private means of grace with the public means: sharing in the sacraments that point us to saving grace in Jesus and meeting with God’s people that we may encourage one another as we wait for the day of his appearing (Heb 10:25).