Dis be da place!

This is where my morning "quiet time" happens. Even my cat gets into it! She follows me around, complaining, until I get settled into my blue chair. Then she climbs up on the couch across from me and stays there until I'm finished. She usually watches the birds for awhile and then stretches out contentedly for a nap until our "quiet time" is over.

Further thoughts (quilting provides lots of time for thinking):

Devoting the first part of my day to God is not a way of earning "brownie points" with God. It is not a way of staying in His good graces or earning my way to Heaven. No, in fact, it is not humanly possible to earn one's way to Heaven, or to become more righteous in God's sight. (That is found only in Jesus Christ, by His death on the cross, in my place.) My daily "quiet time" is for my benefit -- for my spiritual growth, and for the uncovering of spiritual treasure I find in God's Word -- all for my benefit!

Sharing this with my readers is not intended to make anyone feel guilty or less spiritual for not having a daily "quiet time" -- time spent sitting quietly with the Lord, reading the Bible and focusing on Him alone. It is only to let others know that this where I find my strength and my joy.

It was not always this way in my life. I used to think of "daily devotions" as something that good Christians must do! I would do it for awhile and then quit, try it again for awhile and then quit again. This was always the pattern in my life until several years ago when I finally realized the personal necessity of a daily meeting with the Lord.

I was struggling with a particular weakness in my life, and simply could not get mastery over this problem, even after "giving it to God" over and over. I finally found God's help when I began meeting with Him "face-to-face" every morning, rather than just talking to Him or thinking about Him now and then, throughout the day. I discovered something different and powerful about meeting with Him in this "sit-down and be still with Him" type of way. This regular, focused time with the Lord began producing something in me (in my relationship with God) that I had never experienced before. I truly began "falling in love with Jesus"--not just as my Lord, but also as my very best Friend! And, as I grew stronger spiritually, mastery over the old struggles began to be experienced as well. I've come to realize that I need this daily "quiet time" with the Lord for my spiritual nourishment as much as I need daily food for my physical nourishment. That is why I do it.