QT 18 Jan 17, Judg 3:7-11, The need for a quiet time daily

Judges 3:7–11 (ESV) —

7 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth. 8 Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years. 9 But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. 11 So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

NOTE: And so begins the cycle. Forget God, sin (snares), pain and oppression (scourges), cry out (repentance), God provides a deliverer, victory, and peace. I would add to the "forget God" the parenthetical phrase "blind," because in verse 12 they do it all over again. Without a doubt, the place to break the chain is at the "forget God." And so how do we avoid the natural human reaction to enjoy pleasures and the world when everything is going good? How do we not forget God? First of all, we have to keep everything in perspective. Good comes from God and he should be regularly thanked. Second, a relationship with God must remain a priority in our life. There is no substitute in any relationship for time spent together. No marriage can last without regular and constant communication. Therefore, we must meet daily with God, not weekly (as some do). God speaks to us through his word and we speak to God through prayer. So that daily relationship should include some time in the word and some time in prayer. That is what I am doing now in this quiet time (QT). I am in a quiet place, free of distractions, and writing down thoughts from God's word. On the drive in to work, I spent time in prayer. I have to get up early to have a QT at work, otherwise there will be a lot of distractions. Right now, there is literally no one around me. Each of us need to find that quiet place to meet with God.