Quiet Time

He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” (Mark 6:31 HCSB)

These days of “social distancing” create a wonderful opportunity to practice a daily quiet time. Here are a few thoughts to help you organize that time profitably.

Read five Psalms each day, beginning with the Psalm that corresponds to today’s date, then add 30, and 30 more, until you have read five Psalms. Today is March 18, so I read Psalm 18, 48, 78, 108 and 138. I posted on Facebook a verse from Psalm 18:

“I love you, Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold”. (Ps 18:1-2)

Yesterday I posted a verse from Psalm 107: ( I read Ps. 17,37, 77, 107 and 137)

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress”. (Ps 107:28)

Both verses were applicable to the circumstances of the day. That is the point. Regardless of how many times I have read each of those Psalms, they hold a new truth or insight each day!

Another possible component to daily Bible reading includes one chapter in Proverbs each day, again coordinated by today’s date. Today is Proverbs 18, where verse 10 instructs us this way:

“The name of Yahweh is a strong tower;
the righteous run to it and are protected.”

After you have read God’s Word and memorized one verse from your reading, pray using the ACTS acrostic to help your prayer time be organized and effective:

Adoration- Praising God for His character and His mighty acts.

Confession- examining your behavior, thoughts, attitudes and relationships.

Thanksgiving- for forgiveness, and for God’s many blessings and provisions.

Supplication- For others first, and then for your own needs and concerns

You will find that each day the Heavenly Father meets you in a new way, illuminates His Word and meets you in your prayer closet, giving you strength, hope and encouragement for the day. In today’s verse Jesus encourages His followers to “..come away…and rest for a while.” The best way to start your day is to begin by spending time with your Best Friend.