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“Every true Christian life needs its daily ‘silent times,’ when all shall be still, when the busy activity of other hours shall cease, and when the heart, in holy hush, shall commune with God.  One of the greatest needs in Christian life in these days is more devotion.  Ours is not an age of prayer so much as an age of work.  The tendency is to action rather than to worship, to busy toil rather than to quiet sitting at the Saviour’s feet to commune with Him”  - J. Wilbur Chapman, “Present Day Parables”        

How true it is that “one of the greatest needs in Christian life in these days is more devotion.”   It is needful for us to spend time with the Lord daily - to sit quietly at the Saviour’s feet to learn of Him and to refresh our weary souls.  How blessed to be in the presence of the One Who loves us and cares for us.  

Communion – the Christian’s privilege

Communion with God is the privilege of every true believer.  Having been bought with the precious blood of our Saviour, we have been adopted into the family of God.  As His beloved children, we enjoy a foretaste of Heaven each time we approach the mercy-seat.  The apostle John  expressed this heart-felt joy in his epistle: “Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (I Jn. 1: 3).   “What honour can exceed that of being admitted into the presence-chamber of the King of kings – of holding converse with Him, whom angels worship, and before whom devils tremble!” – J R Miller.  Sadly, however, we often fail in this vital area of our spiritual life. 

Communion – the Christian’s blessing

“There are many ways by which the true believer draws near to God. The gates of the king’s palace are many; and through the love of Jesus, and the rich grace of His Spirit, it is our delight to enter and approach our Heavenly Father.   First and foremost among these is communion, that sweet converse which man holds with God, that state of nearness to God, in which our mutual  secrets  are  revealed  -  our

hearts being open unto him, His heart being manifested to us.  Here it is we see the invisible, and hear the unutterable” – C H Spurgeon.

Communion with the Lord is the cure for every ill.   What  a  precious truth!  Indeed, when we spend time with the Lord, He lightens our weight of sorrows and shields us from worldly snares and temptations. 

The psalmist David wrote of the blessings of his unbroken communion with God: “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with Thee” (Ps. 139:17-18).  “Thy thoughts of love are so many that my mind never gets away from them, they surround me at all hours. I go to my bed, and God is my last thought; and when I wake I find my mind still hovering about His palace gates; God is ever with me, and I am ever with Him. This is life indeed. If during sleep my mind wanders away into dreams, yet it only wanders upon holy ground, and the moment I wake my heart is back with its Lord” – The Treasury of David.

Communion – the Christian’s priority

Christianity is not merely a religion, or belief in the One Living and True God, but a two-way vital relationship with the Lord God Almighty.  Our faith is not a series of do’s and don'ts; it is rooted in a day-to-day relationship with Christ our Saviour.  No believer can claim to truly know the Lord if he or she does not have that daily time of communion with Him. 

Couples in love do not need to be coerced into spending time together.  Each has a deep desire to relate with his or her beloved.  Even when separated by life’s daily demands, each one seeks opportunities to be together.  This is what our communion with the Lord is all about.  “We love Him, because He first loved us” (I Jn. 4: 19).    Because we have experienced His love, we desire His presence, comfort and guidance.  We feel blessed and safe before His throne of grace. 

If we neglect our personal time with the Lord, then we need to ask ourselves whether we love Him in the first place.  No one knows how much time we spend with the Lord each day; it is a secret matter between the Lord and us.  But, alas, in our busyness, we hardly ever spare a thought for Him or even regard His existence.  For some of us, the only time we think of the Lord is when we are faced with a problem we cannot solve.  Then in desperation, we cry out for His help.  If this is our tendency, then it is high time we take stock of our priorities.  The Lord exhorts us, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6: 33).   

It is so easy for us to set God aside.  Some years ago, a speaker at our church camp made this pertinent remark: “If we have no time for God, there is something very wrong with our lives.  We need to recheck our priorities.”  Prioritise our Quiet Time; it must come first – before our work, hobbies, families and friends.  Make it a point to keep that daily appointment with God. 
(… to be continued)

- Pastor