The 75 thoughts you have while trying to have a Quiet Time
- Ahhhh, quiet time. All is quiet.
- I can hear the fridge.
- Never quite know how to get started with these things.
- Oh Lord, I'm so sorry that it's been ages. Literally ages. I feel awful, please forgive me.
- Right. Silence, I'll start with some silence.
- ...
- Wha?! What's that noise? Is that the still small voice of God?
- Speak Lord, your servant is listening!
- Ah, no, it's my stomach.
- Probably should have had breakfast first.
- Ok, more silence. Still listening, Lord.
- This isn't really working is it?
- Tell you what, I'll do the talking. Here are some prayers.
- I should probably open by saying how majestic and worthy you are.
- Worthy's a funny word isn't it? Worthy.
- Bit of thanksgiving. You know: for the breath in my lungs, for another day, for the opportunity to serve you, etc etc.
- Right then: SHOPPING LIST
- Here is a series of requests, if it's not too much trouble, which I'd really appreciate you fulfilling in the next 24 hours, if that's at all possible.
- Thanks God. You are so great and mighty. Thank you.
- And worthy.
- And gracious also. Thank you for you grace. That you give us what we don't deserve.
- Hint.
- Whoa, there goes the stomach again.
- Actually I feel like I need to burp.
- Is it ok to burp during a quiet time? I'm never sure.
- It's a bit like the whole praying on the loo thing. Is that appropriate? I feel like it might be a bit disrespectful.
- I could probably write an article for Christian Today on that.
- Bible! I should read some of the Bible.
- What bit should I read?
- I could flick it open and see where it lands...
- "After the time of Abimelech a man of Issachar, Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose to save Israel. He led Israel for 23 years; then he died, and was buried in Shamir."
- Nope.
- Sermon on the Mount seems safe. I know where it is and everything.
- Hang on, IT'S NOT IN THIS BIBLE!
- Oh, no wait it's in Matthew.
- Matthew. Always makes me think of Matthew Bennett-Green from my class at Primary school. I wonder what happened to him.
- Reading.
- I will Google Matthew Bennett-Green later. There can't be many of them.
- Reading a bit more.
- This is good. I should probably read the Bible in one year at some point.
- I could totally do that. What haven't I done that? It's only a few pages a day.
- Stomach's getting louder.
- Matthew Bennett-Green used to bully me.
- I think that's why I'm afraid of toilets.
- I'm at the end of the chapter!
- I have no idea what I just read.
- I'll read it again.
- Slash skim-read it.
- Very good. I will look for ways to apply this in my own life today.
- Which could be awkward if I meet anyone considering a divorce.
- So this has been great.
- What else is one supposed to do in a quiet time anyway?
- I could listen to some worship music.
- Oh no, my phone's vibrating.
- I think I've even got a couple of old worship CDs on the shelf.
- Seriously, I can ignore this. My phone does not control me.
- I have the first Tim Hughes album! I used to listen to that all the time!
- It could be important of course. Someone might have died and they're trying to get hold of me.
- Well not them, obviously but some other people who want to tell me the person is dead.
- I'll put the CD on. That will help me to focus.
- Wait a minute, is that you Lord? Are you telling me to check my phone?
- I probably shouldn't ignore that.
- Ah, it's an email. Well I might as well look now...
- Stupid Linkedin notification emails! I don't care what Phil's new job is.
- Seriously, I'm not looking at that now. I'm with the Lord.
- HR Manager?! What? How on earth did he pull that one?
- Right, this is ridiculous. Focus. The CD is going on.
- Yes Lord, Here I am to worship. Here I am.
- You know, I could probably just have this on while I'm getting ready for work.
- ...and there goes my stomach again.
- How long have I been going for? It's felt like a decent chunk of time, this.
- Four minutes and... twelve seconds.
- I tell you what God. I'll make some breakfast, and then I'll come back and do part two.
- Probably.
- Or if not, we can definitely do this again tomorrow...
Martin Saunders is a Contributing Editor for Christian Today and the Deputy CEO of Youthscape. You can follow him on Twitter: @martinsaunders