At His Feet

written by Rachelle

The wind courses through the trees. The sun peeks through lazily, reminding me it's quite early. None of my family seems to be stirring. Hardly any one of us are truly awake this time of the morning.
But He's waiting for me.
I fetch my Bible from the basket beside my bed. I look down on that basket tenderly. It holds the devotional books I'm working through, my treasured Bible, and some necessities: pens, pencils, highighter, and post-it notes.
It's time.
Time to sit at His feet.

Sometimes its easy to think that quiet times have to be just right, that doing your devotions means a set amount of time in the Word, a set amount in prayer. But devotions aren't recipes. It's impossible to add a cup of the Bible,  a pinch of a prayer, and stir and voila! You have the perfect time with God. It just doesn't work that way.
Quiet times are just like you and I - sometimes unfaithful, often messed up, and always imperfect.

But God still wants to meet with you. And if you want to become closer to and be more like Christ, spending time with Him is the best way to grow.

Here are some practical ideas to help you on your quest to faithful and fulfilling devotions:

* Keep your Bible open so your eye can be drawn to verses. When I keep my Bible open and out where I can see it, I'm more inclined to pick it up throughout the day. (Remember, quiet times can be done any time of day and never need to end!)

* Read Psalm 119, which is a letter of adoration for God’s Word. This psalm never fails inspire me to think as highly of God's Word as did the author.

* Commit! Set a time when you are going to meet with God in His Word. It may be early in the morning or late at night or somewhere in between. It doesn't really matter when, it just matters that it happens.

* Use a daily devotional book. I love “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers and “Streams in the Desert” by L. B. Cowman as well as the TrueLife Bible studies by Shannon Primicerio.Consider investing in a study or devotional Bible that will deepen your understanding of God’s words to you.

* Join the Bible Blast Challenge! Just because you didn't begin on January 1st doesn't mean you can't be part of the adventure of reading through God's Word in 90 days. Visit our Bible Blast page to learn more.

* Don't know where to start? Do a word study! Choose a word that means a lot to you right now (love, peace, joy, etc.) then, using a concordance, list all of the verses that contain that word and meditate on these verses in your quiet times.

Last but not least, dear friends, remember that this time is for you and God. Study His Word to learn what He wants to say to you and pray in order to respond back to Him.
"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you..." James 4:8 (ESV)