How do you spend time with God?

As I've thought about our theme this week of creative ways to spend time with God I've been reminded of a song by Steven Curtis Chapman, thought about how mind boggling it is that God would want to spend time with me, and pondered how once a day is not enough.

Back in the early 90s Steven Curtis Chapman wrote a song entitled The Great Adventure that always resounded for me; the song opens up with these lyrics:

"Started out this morning
In the usual way
Chasing thoughts inside my head
Of all I had to do today
Another time around the circle
Try to make it better than the last

I opened up the bible
And I read about me
Said I'd been a prisoner
And God's grace had set me free

And somewhere between the pages

It hit me like a lightning bolt
I saw a big frontier in front of me
And I heard somebody say "let's go""

Chapman's lyrics describe my experience to a T. Maybe it's because I'm a "do-er" and a list maker,but for whatever the reason, if I'm left to what comes naturally I'll start each morning almost obsessed with thoughts of what I want to accomplish and all I need to get done. What I've found however is that if I follow that trend, I never get where I want to go. Instead I just wind up tired.

Conversely, I've found time and time again that, if, instead of following that natural bent, I choose to make time each morning to spend just opening the pages of the Bible and reading for a little while, until God speaks to my heart, I see myself in the pages of scripture. The Holy Spirit speaks to my heart; sometimes it's words of hope and encouragement, sometimes it's sharp conviction of my sin, sometimes it's the overwhelming flood of His love, sometimes it's practical wisdom about events in my life. But whatever it is, it always shifts my focus and gives me a different perspective. Like Chapman describes in the song above as "a big frontier".

How I actually "do" this varies depending on what's going on in my life. Right now it's all about my life-in-my-car. I drop my sons off at school just past 6:30AM and then head on in to work. Since this gets me there earlier than needed, and since I have several different locations where I may be starting my work day on any particular day, I've developed several locations where I'm able to park my car and sit and have some time for praying and reading the Bible before I go on in to work. This morning time is typically simply a time when I read and listen for God's voice. It's not a deep study and I don't have any kind of reading plan that I must get a certain amount read. I just read until God impresses something on me for that day, and then I stop. Right now I'm using The Message paraphrase because it's refreshing for me. Frequently I'll find that I'll read the same portion of scripture for a few days in a row. It's like my heart is hard ground and I need to keep re-reading until God's written word, and the revelation He wants to bring through it, can sink into my heart. Until those words become part of the ongoing way my mind thinks.

Whenever I think about these times I feel kind of excited. I'm the same way about when I get to spend one on one times with those few very close friends of mine. But the thing that I just can't seem to get past, is that God actually wants to spend time with me. I mean God - as in the All Powerful Creator of the Universe, the Commander of hosts of the armies of heaven, the One who always has been and always will be - GOD - is willing to spend time with me. I'm reminded of David's words from Psalm 8:3-5 when he asks God why He is wiling to even bother with man.

As precious as that morning time is, it's never enough.

Typically I've got some kind of on-going Bible study in which I'm involved that I'll take 1-5 time segments each week to study. How many time segments I take just depends on how my schedule is any given week, or if the particular study in which I'm involved is with other people and involves any sort of commitment. I've always got some kind of Christian book that I'm reading; most often just a chapter every week or so. Again, I find that I'm one of those people who requires time to process what I read.

I like to pray in the morning before I take that time out to read. I like to pray whenever God brings people to my mind throughout the day to pray for. Sometimes I know things to pray for people, sometimes I'll just come in contact with someone and feel impressed to take a few moments to pray for them. When I pray for people sometimes I pray with my understanding, and sometimes I have no idea what to say but God's spirit intercedes through me. I like to pray when tough situations arise and I need to reach out to God. I like to pray my gratitude when unexpected blessings come way; things like getting to see the pink sky behind the majestic mountains as I'm driving to work, or my middle son actually says something nice to me, or I accomplish something that makes life better for one of my clients. I like to pray and list out a bunch of the great things God has done for me when I'm feeling discouraged. Sometimes I just want to be near God but don't know what to say, so I go somewhere I can be alone and just be there.

What about you, how do you spend time with God?

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.