Morning Devotional Time

Here is something I just wrote for the guys in my Tuesday morning group - maybe there is something here for you.

Dear brothers,

In our group this morning some of us expressed a desire to cultivate a deeper relationship with Christ in our experience with the Bible in the morning. Here are some thoughts that might help:

1.    Don’t turn on anything but the lights and the coffee maker. I have found this to be critical because once I turn on the TV or the computer or look at a smartphone it is pretty much all over – my mind is moving at warp speed as soon as I open my mind to the outside world.

2.    A visual image I use is of a blank sheet of white paper. What do I want written on that paper? How do I want to begin my day? What do I want my first impressions of the day to be? That paper represents my heart, my mind, my soul – I want our Father and Christ to have the first imprint on my day as I invite the Holy Spirit to speak to me through God’s Word.

3.    Choose a place in your home that is conducive to quiet and use the same place every morning.

4.    Have two pads of paper or notebooks with you. One is to write down any wandering thoughts like, “Don’t forget to take the trash out. Don’t forget to make a dentist appointment.” Once we write these things down we don’t need to worry about forgetting them – it gives us some immediate closure. The other paper is to write down any impressions and thoughts you get from Christ in His Word in your devotional time. I use a journal or composition book to write my thoughts and impressions during the quiet time. I don’t write things down every day, or even every week – (some folks do and that’s great) – but when I do write something down it’s nice to be able to go back and look at it.

5.    I am a big advocate of reading one Psalm a day. No matter what else I’m reading I want to read one Psalm a day. Actually I start with Psalm One and read 30 Psalms a month – this means that in February I double up on some days, and in 31-day months I don’t read a Psalm on the last day. Why? Because this way I read through the Psalms every five months – there are 150 Psalms. It also helps me keep track of where I am reading since every month begins with either Psalm 1, 31, 61, 91, or 121. I am simple and need a simple system. You’ll be amazed, I hope, at how you’ll begin to feel at home in the Psalms.

6.    I also recommend taking the Gospel of John and reading a passage during your devotional time – not necessarily an entire chapter – and go with the flow.

The above is, I think, a good way to begin. Make it a time of talking to our Father and Lord Jesus and listening – in motorcycle riding there is the idea of “letting the road come to you” and finding your “line” in the road – you don’t want to force things on a motorcycle or you will soon have road rash at best, or a bad accident at worst. When I was riding and I learned to find my own line and not try to be someone else I learned to enjoy riding.

Start the road trip, fire the bike up, and see where God takes you in 2020.

Our Father and Lord Jesus love YOU with all that they are. Relax, take your time – let your time be God’s time – let God surprise you – He will…He absolutely will.

And remember please – there are only two things you should turn on – the coffee maker and the lights – trust me on this boys, I know from experience.

I love you,

Bob