Many people have found that setting aside a regular time each day to read and think about God’s word, and to spend time in prayer, has been the power-house of their spiritual life and growth. Explore is designed to encourage, help and support you in this daily joy and discipline, sometimes referred to as a ‘Quiet Time’.
It's often a struggle to be consistent in finding a daily time to spend with God. Children, the busyness of life, special nights out, holidays, or just sheer exhaustion can all conspire to get in the way. However, there is no substitute for just getting into a good habit.
There are many patterns that suit different people, and yours may change over time. Whatever you choose to do, guard your time with God jealously. If you come to it hungry to learn from the Lord, and to feed on the truth, it will be a place of nurture and growth, and a source of direction and strength for your daily life.
TIME
Find a time when you will not be disturbed, and when the cobwebs are cleared from your mind. Many people have found that the morning is the best time, as it sets you up for the day.
As C.S. Lewis said: "The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job of each morning consists in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice… letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in."
But you may not be a ‘morning person’ so last thing at night, or, if you’re free, a mid-morning break. Whatever suits you.
PLACE
Jesus says that we are not to make a great show of our religion (see Matthew 6 v 5-6), but rather pray with the door to our room shut. So, anywhere you can be quiet and private is the key, which makes the bedroom a top choice for many. Some people who commute plan to get to work a few minutes earlier and get their Bible out in an office, or some other quiet corner. Some like to sit in a favourite armchair with a cup of tea at hand. Others find sitting at a table or desk more productive. The rule is that there’s no rule—whatever works for you!
PRAYER
Although Bible-reading notes like Explore help with specific prayer ideas from the passage, you should try to develop your own lists to pray through. Perhaps you could pray each day for one family member, one friend, and a fellow believer? And how about keeping a prayer diary where you record your prayer requests, and also how God has answered them. Often our problem is not so much ‘who to pray for’, as what to pray for them! That’s why Bible reading and prayer are inseparable. We are reminded from God’s word what is truly important, and it will shape the nature of our prayers for ourselves, the world and others.
SHARE
As the saying goes: "Expression deepens impression". So try to cultivate the habit of sharing with other believers the things you have learned from your reading. It will encourage both them and you. Using the same notes as a friend will help you encourage each other to keep going.
How to get started
If the Bible is God’s word to us, then it stands to reason that our experience of reading it will be surprising, uplifting and, at times, deeply disturbing to us. A great place to start might be to use Time with God. The 28 days of daily readings in this introduction start by looking carefully at the claims the Bible makes about itself, and go on to showcase a variety of different parts of the Bible and finishes by working through the OT book of Jonah.
Top Tips
Tim Thornborough is the founder and Publishing Director of The Good Book Company. He is series editor of Explore Bible-reading notes, the author of The Very Best Bible Stories series, and has contributed to many books published by The Good Book Company and others. Tim is married to Kathy, and they have three adult daughters.
