How Much Time Is a Long Time?

I was driving northwest, heading to church which is an hour from my home. I flipped on some soaking music from the iPod. My spirit was excited about Jesus! I started to pray, first in English, and then who knows what happened, but my spirit sort of went on auto-pilot. Not long after, I realized that not only was my heart full, but 30 minutes had passed. As I rolled off the exit ramp, I felt a wonderful communion with Jesus; I pressed on for the pressed of the ride.

This week your faithful Kingdom Bloggers are going to write about creative ways to spend time with God. Or possibly a better topic title would be, fitting God into an already busy life.

I work in Boston, and rush hour borders on the absurd. I've been teaching a class (for the first time) which has taken hours and hours of preparation, writing a 30 page book, and creating 250 Powerpoint screens. Not to mention that it takes about 2 hours to get there and over an hour to get home. Some days I wonder how I am going to fit sleep into my day, forget trying to squish God into the cracks between breathing and exhaling.

Here is what David does to be with he beloved Savior.
- I am often up between 4 and 5 am. I pray until I fall back to sleep, if I actually do. I have a list of friends who are ill and of course my family is on the list. I pray for the folks in my class, for the class, and sometimes other stuff - more often I just enjoy the presence of God.
- I can't concentrate on Jesus while I am navigating the Zipper Ride between home and work, so that is out. As soon as I get to my desk, I flip on some soaking music and use the time to pray or read the Bible online. Some days it's 30 minutes, some days I am a few minutes late and there isn't' time.
- I write many of my blogs at lunch - if I get one, and that is a form of study and meditation for me.
- I listen to all types of Christian music for 8+ hours a day. In between meetings and phone calls, it helps me focus on my Saviour. I can pray while I write programming code, so I often do.
- I play my guitar about 20-30 minutes a day, and that is a time when I sometimes commune with my God. Other days I just rock out!

Here is what I don't do - I don't have a specific reading and prayer time. I pray on-and-off all day, and some times it is for hours. I read the Bible on-and-off all day as things come to me in prayer. I have a relationship with Jesus, so I just don't get all religious about quiet times and stuff like that. I read two books that helped me live this lifestyle of constant communion with God: The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, and The Release of the Spirit by Watchman Nee.

I have heard so many teachings on how to start by spending 5 minutes praying, or reading the Bible through in a year. I have done that, but what works for me is being honest with the Lord, and dedicating as much time as I possibly can to setting my life up in such a way that God will be at every corner, and every crossroad in it. A long time ago, I had an experience with the Holy Spirit, and his presence has been with me in a way in which I can't easily describe. If I simply take even one thought, and turn it to Him, his presence is instantaneous.

And don't tell anyone, if the sermon is boring, I read the bible for an hour on Sunday morning.