New Beginnings: Getting in the Word

O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
Psalm 5:3a (ESV)

A new year means new hopes, new promises, and new beginnings. People around us are talking about their health and diet goals, perhaps even goals to declutter, organize, and streamline schedules.

But if that is your top priority, you may be missing something critical.

Where does God’s Word fit into your priorities? Are you reading the Bible daily? Really, there’s no better way to embrace new beginnings than with elevating the priority of daily time with God.

Since the most ancient of times, people have lifted up prayer to God upon arising in the morning, and sought God’s presence by reading His Word. This is the essence of what believers mean when they talk about “quiet time” with God. And while it is commonly associated with the morning, be assured that God is ready to meet with you at any time…day or night!

As believers, prayer and scripture are the best way for us to gird our days. They bring the day into a right and Godly focus. They remind us that we are always in God’s hands, and that giving our day to Him is superior to trying to take the reins ourselves.

And what believer does not need the comfort of knowing that Christ is with them each day? Our quiet times serve as a firm reminder of this amazing truth.

If you are a new believer, it’s important to know that reading your Bible every day is how you begin to understand God’s heart. He’s written it all down for you in the 66 books contained in scripture, and it speaks to you in a new way every time you read it…whether it’s your first time or your 101st!

Quiet times, where you read scripture, reflect, and pray, also help us to stay mindful of those in need around us. We ask for healing, wisdom, and God’s will for their lives… and thereby serve them humbly as believers are encouraged to do.

By turning to God in the Word and prayer, we open ourselves up to the guidance and leading of the Holy Spirit, and our words and actions are more fruitful for God’s kingdom.

In our daily time with God, He can give us strength in our weakness, faith in our fear, and power in our powerlessness. We gain a measure of peace to face our day and all it will bring to us. As Isaiah wrote:

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.”
Isaiah 26:3 ESV

We can ask God for protection for ourselves and our loved ones—protection from illness, accidents, and evil influences. God, our Rock and Fortress, wants to deliver us. (Psalm 18:2)

We can also pray for guidance, so that nothing in this world will separate us from God and His will for us. Through His guidance, we can speak the right words, take the right actions, and make the right decisions.

We can thank God for being with us through all things and in all situations:

“I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”
Psalm 16:8 ESV

When our hearts are heavy, we can confidently cast our burdens and cares on Him. (Matthew 11:28)

Quiet time in the Word can be simple or elaborate. Perhaps you are inclined to journal, use a devotional, or avail yourself of one of so many devotional apps. Or maybe your quiet time is simply you, your Bible, and God’s presence.

Beloved preacher and Christian thinker Charles H. Spurgeon once wrote: “A day hemmed in prayer is less likely to unravel.” Let’s embrace this wisdom and go forward each day with the assurance of God’s Word written on our hearts as we embark on new beginnings in 2020!