Though we shall speak particularly of the morning quiet time, the same principles will apply to that of the evening.

1. Select the best time for it. This will vary with the
   circumstances. Be sure to allow time for dressing, for being prompt at
   the breakfast table, and for leaving in time to be punctual at school
   or business. Remember, in selecting this period, that you are reserving
   the most important part of the day for God.
2. Get up in time to observe this period. This getting up is not so
   easy as it sounds, for it calls for considerable determination and
   self-discipline. It is much easier to lie in bed and contemplate
   getting up, than to throw off the bedclothes and get up! A devoted
   Christian was once asked if he made it a matter of prayer about getting
   up for his quiet time. He replied, “I don’t pray about getting up – I
   get up!”  Rising on time is largely dependent on getting to bed on
   time the night before. The Bible put it thus: “It is vain for you to
   rise up early, to sit up late” (Ps. 127:2)!  Cultivate the proper
   hours for retiring. The custom of rising at a particular time each
   morning will soon become habitual and will yield rich returns in
   spiritual blessing to the believer. An alarm clock is useful if there
   is a tendency to oversleep.
3. Get washed and dressed promptly. This will thoroughly awaken you,
   so that you will not be half-asleep during the quiet time. This is most
   important, for one should be his best physically and mentally, lest he
   rob God and himself of this period by lack of concentration due to
   drowsiness.

THE OBSERVANCE OF THE QUIET TIME

Each Christian must determine for himself the amount of time he is to
devote to this “quiet time.” Let us suppose that he chooses fifteen
minutes. It could very well be more, but certainly should not be less
than this. We will therefore take the irreducible minimum of fifteen
minutes as the basis of our suggestions as the best use of this time
for both morning and evening.

This fifteen-minute period should serve a threefold purpose: first, for
the reading of the Scriptures; second, for meditation on what has been
read; and, third, for worship, praise and prayer. It would be well to
devote five minutes to each of these purposes.

 

Reading of God’s Word

The first five minutes should be taken up with the reading of God’s
Word. The average chapter of the Bible can easily be read within this
time. It is best to follow a definite course of reading that will carry
you consecutively through the Bible. A good plan would be to take a
chapter from the New Testament each morning and a chapter from the Old
Testament each evening. 

This chapter should be read reverently and deliberately, and not raced
through. Remember, it is the Divinely inspired Word of God, which is
“profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in
righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). It is best to read it audibly but
quietly, so as not to disturb anyone else. This will prove to be a
great aid in concentration and will prevent the mind from wandering
during the reading. 

Seeing that by the reading of the Bible God’s voice is heard in the
soul, it would be good to ask God for spiritual enlightenment as you
take the sacred book into your hands. David’s prayer is a good one:
“Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law”
(Ps. 119:18). Thus, in simple dependence upon the Holy Spirit’s
guidance and teaching, the Word of God is carefully read (John
16:13-15).

 

Meditation on What Has Been Read

The second five minutes should be spent in meditation, or in thinking
about what you have read. This meditation is not easy, but it can be
developed by practice. Meditation is to reading what digestion is to
eating. Just as digestion turns what we have eaten into blood, muscle
and bone, to be expressed in energy and growth; so meditation
translates what we have read into spiritual blood, muscle and bone,
that expresses itself in a life lived to the glory of God and enables
us to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Surely we shall not deny to God’s Word the
thoughtful consideration we give to other books. 

As an aid to this meditation, here are a few suggestive questions each
may well ask himself after he has read the portion from the Bible. The
answers to these questions will serve to impress upon our hearts and
memories what we have read so that the Scriptures will thus become an
indispensable part of our lives:

• What persons and places have I read about, and what have I learned about them?
• What, in my own words, is the principal subject of this chapter?
• What, to my mind, is the best verse? Can I repeat it from memory? (This verse should be underlined with a pencil.)
• What example did I see in this chapter that I should follow? What
  command or precept did I read that I should obey? Let us never forget
  that obedience to the known will of God is essential to true
  discipleship (John 7:17; 8:31; 13:17; Luke 6:46; James 1:22-24).
• What warnings were there for me to heed?
• What prayer was there for me to echo?
• What guidance did I receive for my path today?    

    The answering of these questions will call for real
concentration of thought, but the effort is well worth while, for it
will make the Word of God a living reality to one’s life and result in
the formation and development of a sterling Christian character – truly
an invaluable possession!

 

Worship, Praise, and Prayer

The third five minutes should be devoted to worship, praise and prayer. Let us think of them in order:

1. Worship. This is literally “worth-ship,” or the ascription of
   worth to One Who is worthy. It is the heart’s occupation with God
   Himself, to the exclusion of all else. It is the overflow of a grateful
   heart under the sense of Divine grace and favor. God desires and seeks
   the worship of His blood-bought people (John 4:23,24). It is the
   highest  occupation of the child of God in this life and shall be
   his service for eternity (Rev. 4:11; 5:12). We praise God for His
   blessings; we pray to God for our needs; but we worship God for all He
   has revealed Himself to be in His beloved Son. Thus, with reverence,
   awe, amazement and gratitude, the believer is occupied with God.
2. Praise. God wants a praising and thankful people. “Whoso offereth
   praise glorifieth God” (Ps. 50:23). We are enjoined to “enter into His
   gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise” (Ps. 100:4).We
   should praise God for the gift of His Son, Who gave Himself for us; for
   the Holy Spirit, Who indwells, teaches and guides us; for the holy
   Scriptures, God’s full revelation to us; for all the spiritual
   blessings that are ours in Christ; for the many temporal mercies He has
   bestowed on us in the way of health, food and clothing; and for
   answered prayer.  Every Christian should cultivate the habit of
   thanksgiving and praise. Surely it is a poor thing to be always asking
   favors from God and never giving Him a word of praise for all He has
   done, is doing and will yet do for those He has saved by His grace
   (Phil. 4:6,7; Eph. 5:20; Ps. 69:30,31; 92:1).
3. Prayer. By prayer the believer expresses his absolute dependence
   on God for the supply of all his needs, and, at the same time, his
   supreme confidence that God will hear and answer his requests, if asked
   in faith and in accordance with His will (1 John 5:14,15). God
   commands, inspires, hears and answers prayer (Heb. 4:14-16; Luke 18:1;
   Matt. 6:6-12; Ps. 65:2).

• Prayer for oneself. This involves the frank confessing and
  forsaking of all known sin, “if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord
  will not hear me” (Ps. 66:18; compare 1 John 1:9). Make known to your
  Father in heaven all your needs with the simplicity, directness and
  confidence of a child coming to its earthly father. The Lord Jesus
  said, “Your heavenly Father knoweth what things ye have need of” (Matt.
  6:32). Spread your problems before Him and seek Divine wisdom to solve
  them (James 1:5-7). Cast all your care on Him, for it matters to Him
  about you (1 Pet. 5:7). Remember, nothing is too small to mention to
  Him, for God delights to hear the simple fervent and believing prayers
  of His children.
• Supplication for others. We should not be selfish in our prayers
  and think only of ourselves, but also remember the needs of others. God
  wants us to be intercessors on behalf of others (Eph. 1:15,16; Col.
  1:9; 1 Sam. 12:23). We should pray for those in authority over us, that
  God will grant them humility of heart and Divine wisdom that shall
  enable them to rule us wisely and well (1 Tim. 2:1-4). We should pray
  for our family, relatives and friends, particularly for the unsaved
  ones, that they may be convicted of sin and led to put their faith in
  Christ. We should pray for all who are seeking to preach the gospel,
  either in the homeland or the foreign field.

Remember, it is still true that “the effectual fervent prayer of a
righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). Prayer is a mighty force
because it moves the hand of Him Who moves the world. Prayer changes
things; therefore, pray!

As an aid to memory, many Christians keep a prayer list and record the
names of those they desire to remember at the throne of grace.

Summary  

Surely the Christian reader will agree that this “quiet time” is an
absolute necessity to the child of God, and that fifteen minutes, as a
minimum, is not too long to spend in the presence of God, reading and
meditating in His Word, and communing with Him by prayer.

 

May it be yours and mine to make and maintain, at all costs, this essential preparation for each day of our Christian life.