(The following is the February 10 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Mark 1 and pay close attention to verse 35.)
Jesus began his day in solitude with his heavenly Father before the day’s tiring demands. Christians must answer two fundamental questions about our time alone with God: Will we commit to a consistent daily time with God in prayer and Bible study? If so, when will we do it? Additional considerations include how we organize the time and keep it meaningful, but we must answer the “if” and “when” questions before the “how.” Methods can and will vary as desired over time.
There are several advantages to beginning the day with God:
Christ is at the forefront of our thoughts, better positioning us to know and follow his will the rest of the day.
It acknowledges the priority of time with God.
It spurs our hearts to know, please, and obey Christ.
The Lord will use Scripture studied in the morning throughout the day to conform us to his likeness.
Some dangers of waiting until later in the day to be alone with God (such as just before bedtime) are:
We tackle the day’s activities and decisions using our strength and wisdom rather than a Christ-centered focus.
Unplanned interruptions and demands can crowd out the later time we plan to spend alone with God.
A busy day may exhaust us physically, mentally, and emotionally so that we fall asleep or skip the practice.
Evangelist Ray Comfort says, “No Bible, no breakfast. No read, no feed.” That appears to have been Jesus’ practice and should be ours.
Next Step:
If you do not already have a daily quiet time with God before starting your daily routines, get up early enough to have such a time every day for a week. Note how the practice positively impacts your focus on Christ and the sense of his presence throughout each day.