The Rushed Encounter

Imagine walking into an art gallery. Let’s say there’s an exhibit that you’ve been told about by others from an artist whose work you enjoy and deeply appreciate. You set a time, get in your car and make the drive, park and make your way to the front entrance. As you arrive at the doors of the gallery, you gladly open them, you walk to the room where you see a sign that says “Meet the Artist!” Now, excited to actually spend a moment with the person whose creativity you so enjoy, you approach the space.

As you arrive at the room, you see the artist you see the created work displayed throughout the space, and as you take it all in, you walk past the artist, leave the works behind, exit through the emergency door, get back in your car and go on about your day. Yet you feel like you’ve done what you needed to to enjoy and absorb the works. You tell yourself and others you spent time with the artist and know him better because of that excursion.

Would you be truthful in that telling? Was that quality time with the artist and his work, or merely an exposure to it?

The Speedy Exchange

When you pick up the bible to read, do you have a plan for how you’ll approach the text that day? I know many people open God’s Word, read a verse, a passage or a whole chapter and then close their Bible without giving that sacred scripture a second thought. The act of Bible reading is far different than the work of Bible study.

Walking through the gallery, giving the artist a nod and leaving without exchanging a word is no different than reading God’s Word, not giving it a moment of consideration, and closing it to continue on with your day.

How Paced Intention Leads to Growth

I wrote a guidebook for daily study that allows you a model for lingering in and meditating upon God’s Word. Having regularity that encourages growth is important a we consider what it means to truly spend time in God’s Word, to linger upon what He says, and to spend time with Him in that space.

I’d also like to show you another method that can help you in your bible study time that provides both structure and expectation. Take a moment, read this passage (Galatians 5:16-26) and then try out the SPECK method:

S – Is there SIN to confess or avoid?

P – Is there a PROMISE God is making that is specifically for me?

E – Is there an EXAMPLE in the passage I should follow?

C – Is there a COMMAND I should obey?

K – Is there KNOWLEDGE about God that deepens worship and my relationship with Him?

(Costi Hinn features this well known method in his book, “Knowing the Spirit” which I also recommend.)

If we will meet with God in His Word each day with an expectation of observation, interpretation and application of that passage, we will find ourselves fulfilled in that meeting.

If we were invited to meet a friend for coffee, we wouldn’t walk in, order our drink, wave to them at the table, and walk out the door with our drink thinking we’d spent time with them, right?

Let’s linger, look and listen as we meet with God in His Word. There is nothing more important in your day than to spend that quality time with God in the midst of His message for you that provides meaning and direction for your life. Sit, be still and abide with Him there today.

How will you take your next step to quality time with God today?

What discipline will you put in place to do it again tomorrow?