Acts 17:11: The importance of spending time daily in the Word

Acts 17:11 “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

Have you felt like you are being dragged in the rip current that is your life? That you never have time for anything anymore? That even when you do try to get some time to yourself that interruptions and responsibilities plague you? Have you noticed that perhaps Christ does not seem as effective in your life as He once was? That going to church is less filling? That your faith is seemingly more tired and yet tried as never before? If so I am certain that I can make an accurate guess as to the reason for all this: you have not been spending  time in the Word like you should be. You have been neglecting your daily personal time with the Lord of All.

I know this because I have gone through this as well, and these all seem to be consistent symptoms in my own life of when I start to slack off on really spending quality time with God. Most of the time I don't even notice it happening. I seem to be a tad bit busier and a little more harried, I can't seem to get up early enough to have my devotions without having to deal with something else at the same time, and so my devotions get shorter and shorter and shorter until I just don't seem to have the time to do them - “after all, God knows my heart” and all that. Oh I try to make up for it, but trying to do my devotions when I get home and am tired from work, I am more likely to fall asleep in my chair than actually get anything done. Of course I can make all the excuses that I want for why I am not having my personal, private time with the Lord but in the end thats all they are – excuses.

After going through a period of time where I havn't been doing my daily devotions, I find it really hard to get back into them. It takes a while before I start having the really quality time, the enjoyable time that I did  X number of weeks ago. I know that for me starting up again and getting back into the habit of having a good, unrushed, pleasant, daily one-on-one with the Creator seems to always take more time than I spend not having them. But as I try 5 minutes turns into 10, 10 turns to 15, 15 turns to half and hour, and so forth. Those little daily nuggets of wisdom, that refreshing retreat into the Father's hands always seems to do me good. Despite nothing else changing in my life, just having these devotions makes things less rushed and harried throughout the day, interruptions don't seem as important, church is more filling, I seem to have all sorts of time to get what I need to done and then enough time to do other things as well, my Faith seems to awaken and the daily trials don't seem as large as they used to. And I no longer feel like I am being dragged but rather that I am in partnership with Life. Instead of the currents taking me hither, thither, and yon, instead I feel like a surfer on his board, making my way joyfully, relying on the currents to aid me, but not dependent on them to direct me.

So if you are having trouble right now seeing the point of that time, I assure you that it is helpful and will aid your daily life, as well as being necessary to your spiritual walk and your goal of walking with and following Christ. I have written this before and you have probably heard me say it as well, but Martin Luther wrote that the only way he managed to have time to do everything he had to do in his day was by spending the first three hours in prayer and reading the Bible. If you have been slack with yours daily time I heartily encourage you to get back into it. One young man I know has committed himself to reading one page a day and another reads one chapter a day. Whatever way you decide to apportion your bible reading, do it! It will soon become the best part of your day!

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.