Thought of the Day: Time with the Lord

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

First of all, it is kind of misleading to say that we should "spend time with the Lord," because the reality is that He never leaves us nor forsakes us. He doesn't only come to visit us when we open our Bibles or submit ourselves to Him in prayer. And His Holy Spirit doesn't only visit us when we call upon Him, but is always at work in us, making us more Christ-like, and carrying us until glory.

That said, it is our pleasure to go before the Lord often in prayer and in reading His Word. God uses these precious disciplines to mold us by His Spirit, which enables to better fulfill our ultimate purpose: To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

There is no recipe for how you engage in these disciplines, but here some ideas:

1) Spend 10-15 at the beginning and/or the end of the day in concentrated prayer to God.
2) Make silent "breath prayers" thoughout the day, knowing that God's ear is always open.
3) When you pray, spend time adoring God for who He is, repenting of your sin and sinful nature, expressing gratitude for Jesus' sacrifice in your place, and praying for the various needs and struggles of you and those you know--whether they seem large or small.
4) Memorize an occasional passage of Scripture--large or small--and meditate often upon it.
5) Read through the entire Bible in order to grasp the overall picture, which is a picture of God working out His redemptive purposes for you and His people in the promised work of Jesus, the accomplished work of Jesus, and soon enough, the completed work of Jesus when He comes again.
6) Read an Old Testament book, then a New Testament, and keep going back and forth.
7) Ask questions concerning whatever passage you read on a given night, such as: What does this say about God and/or His law? What does this say about man and his sin? What does this say, or how does this point forward to, the work of Christ? How am I now called to live in light of these truths?
8) Journal your thoughts on a passage, your experiences in life, and the intertwining of the two. Perhaps even write out your prayers.

These are just some random thoughts to jog your mind in case your devotional life seems stale!