Morning Quiet Time

The other morning as I was spending my quiet time with the Lord, Abby woke up early and came out to the living room to ask why I was up in the middle of the night.  As I tucked her back into bed, I explained it wasn’t the middle of the night but just early in the morning when it is still dark.  I said that was when I had my quiet time to spend with God.  She replied that she would like to do the same thing when she gets big.  I told her that she didn’t need to wait, but could start right away.  So that morning she had her first private time with the Lord.

Of all the habits that I have established, my morning quiet time with God is the one that I am most thankful for and hope to pass along to my children.  It is in this time that I read my Bible, pray and reflect upon God’s Word and His leading in my life.  This is my fuel for the day.

When God saved me 10 years ago, I was fortunate enough to have solid teachers over me to share the great benefit of the discipline of a daily time seeking the Lord’s face.  I usually tried to do it in the morning, but it didn’t always happen.  Then when I was about to give birth to Abby, I made a commitment to God that I was going to be a wife and mother who rose early before the rest of the family to spend time in the morning.  And in those 6 years, God has been gracious to help me to honor that commitment.  Even if it is was only 15 minutes, I cannot remember many days when I did not have my morning quiet time before the rest of the family woke up.

Of course, there is no written rule that it must happen in the morning, but there are lots of Biblical references to morning time devoted to God (see Psalm 5:3, Psalm 59:16, Psalm 88:13, Psalm 90:14, Psalm 143:8, Mark 1:35).  Many Bible teachers that I respect recommend it as well.  For example, John Piper says:

I earnestly recommend that it be in the early morning, unless there are some extenuating circumstances. Entering the day without a serious meeting with God, over his Word and in prayer, is like entering the battle without tending to your weapons. It’s like taking a trip without filling the tires with air or the tank with gas. The human heart does not replenish itself with sleep. The body does, but not the heart. The spiritual air leaks from our tires, and the gas is consumed in the day. We replenish our hearts not with sleep, but with the Word of God and prayer. Thousands of saints have discovered through the centuries that starting the day by filling the mind with the Word of God will bring more joy and more love and more power than traveling on yesterday’s gas.

My husband, Joe, also writes:

I have often heard coaches say that the first five minutes of a game are the most important. There is wisdom here. The reason why is because in the first five minutes of a basketball game, you set the tone for the rest of the contest. I ask, might not the same be true of every single day? Might not how you spend your morning hours (what you think about and set your heart upon) set the tone for the rest of the day?

After Abby’s initial enthusiasm over spending her quiet time with God in the morning, she showed me even more why I do it then.  The next morning when I asked her if she was ready to spend time with the Lord, she replied that she would rather play with Elijah.  When we allow our day to get going before meeting with the Lord, there are so many things that can distract us and choke out our desire for God.  Life gets going and our great intent to spend time with God often gets pushed aside only to be forgotten.  I even have to be careful about the computer or internet drawing me away in the early morning!

This habit has been one that has kept me content in my role as a wife and mother as well.  So often us mothers of young children can be heard complaining about how we just need some time to ourselves.  Yet, we are the same ones who are rolling out of bed to start into the day full speed with the rest of the family.  No wonder we feel like we need a break!  I don’t feel as great of a need for “me” time because every morning I have quiet time to settle my heart before the Lord for over an hour.  That is great “me” time!  (Now I know there is something about getting out of the house and being by yourself, so I am not saying that is all thrown out the window, but I know I am much more satisfied to go weeks without it when I am consistently up in the morning.)

This is by far the habit I would commend to others above all else.  There are tons of resources out there if you have no idea how to start with having a quiet time in the morning.  Let me know if I can be of any service to you in helping you develop this habit as well!

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus in John 15:5