God is everywhere, of course, He is, but in the busyness of our lives we can fail to notice this. As we dash between all the commitments of our days it can be easy for God to be crowded out. Soon we might find that the voice of God has become quieter and our relationship with Him has diminished. Our relationship with God needs time just like any other relationship in our life.
So how can we make time for God a regular part of our life? Well, the first and most straightforward way to do this is to get it planned! The Bible is full of examples of people setting up a rhythm of life. A pattern to their days that allowed them to check in with, and connect with, God. Let’s have a quick look at two Biblical habits that stands out in the Bible.
Having a Weekly Day of Rest
Perhaps the ultimate example of this is the principle of the Sabbath that we see introduced in Exodus 20. ‘Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God.’
The Sabbath was all about ceasing, laying down tools, and resting, but it was also about using that time to turn to God. And the thing about Sabbath is that by its nature it is regular. Regular time each week to shift the focus of our attention to God and receive from Him.
One of the most important spiritual disciplines we can practice is Sabbath keeping. This is a day in which we rest from our regular duties, to enjoy God’s presence and worship him. A time when we also can set aside specific times each week to meet with other believers for special Bible study or prayer meetings.
Praying like Jesus
Jesus also gives us another great pattern for life in the way in which he approached making time for his Father. In many of the stories in the gospels, Jesus is recorded as getting up early to go off to pray (see, for example, Mark 1:35). He knew this was likely to be the only quiet time he got so he made the most of it. Even Jesus knew that he needed time to check in with his Father and he made it a daily priority.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed – Mark 1:35
Praying is a habit that Jesus taught his disciples and followers to practice. While we often think of prayer in terms of asking for God’s help or guidance, it is also a time when we can spend with Him, in silence and solitude. Time with God is essential for our relationship with Him to flourish. We need it to hear from him and to be nourished in our hearts, mind, and soul.
How to put these Biblical habits into practice
All of these are great habits for making time for God in your life, but you might have noticed that they all have one thing in common: Jesus is at their center. He showed us how much he values prayer and Sabbath-keeping by doing it himself consistently throughout his ministry. As Christians, we should strive to imitate Christ’s example by following these biblical principles as closely as possible. How can you make time for God in your life, and how can you start today?
