from The Invitation by Navigator Church Ministries
Life today is like a three-ring circus, with work, life, competing for attention.
In the midst of this busyness, God quietly and compellingly issues The Invitation, asking us to “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). We’re invited to enjoy a relationship with our Heavenly Father, the Lord of the universe! Unfortunately, our inboxes are stuffed with invitations from others. How can we RSVP our Lord’s invitation?
Over the centuries. God-seekers have responded to His invitation through a simple discipline. This discipline has been called a “quiet time,” the “morning watch,” or my “TAG time” (time alone with God). Author Chuck Swindoll writes that “seeking intimacy with God requires focused determination.” Without this daily discipline, we will not experience a transforming friendship with God.
The Bible bursts with examples of men and women who passionately accepted God’s invitation. In a life filled with urgent requests and the crush of people, Jesus embraced His father’s invitation to a relationship:
And in the Morning, a great while before day, he departed and went out
to a lonely place, and there he prayed. Mark 1:35
In a life overflowing with the demands of leadership, King David placed God’s invitation at the top of his life priorities:
One thing I have asked of the Lord, that l will seek after…
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to inquire in His temple. Psalm 27:4
In a simple home, one woman was busy serving guests while the other sat at the feet of Jesus. Who did Jesus commend? He affirmed the woman who chose the “one necessary thing, the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:33-42
Busy people have always had time to respond to The Invitation. This little booklet [and we hope this website] will show you how you can practically embrace God’s invitation to grow in closeness and communication with Him.
What am I to do in this time with the Father?
“Come to me” invites Jesus. “Taste and see that I am good” invites the Father. This adventure is intoxicating but how do we get started? Four simple disciplines can guide our daily time With the Father. Whether you have ten minutes or sixty minutes, these principles will give direction to your time with God.
#1. Stop! In your time with God, first stop and ask, “Lord, where is my heart today?” I must do a heart check. This means stopping to wonder and worship at God’s magnificence. Like David, take time to “behold the beauty of the Lord” and stop for worship, reflecting on the character of God.
Stopping also means confessing sin, admitting and agreeing with God that we have offended him in thought, word, or deed. Stopping means claiming the promise of I John 1:9, asking Him to forgive and cleanse us. Stopping to check means stopping to wonder and confess.
#2. Look! After stopping, we look into God’s word, asking Him, “Help me discover one new truth from your Word today.” Three simple tools can help us look. First, underline, circle or highlight words or phrases that jump out of a passage. Next, stop to ask questions. If I could ask the Apostle Paul, the leader Nehemiah, or the prophet Isaiah a question about their writings, what would I ask. Finally, think about application by asking, “How can this passage impact my life today?” I stop to look for new truth from God’s word.
#3. Listen! After we look into His word through meditation, we stop to listen asking, “Lord, what is your thought for me today from your Word?” Listening means identifying and putting into writing one key thought or take-away from looking in the Scriptures.
#4. Respond! Responding to God takes place through prayer and application. Responding in prayer means more than walking through a prayer list. It means praying back his Word and how it has has touched my life. I ask myself, “Lord what do I need to talk with you about from this passage?” l also respond by personal obedience through a practical application. I ask myself, “Lord, what are you asking me to do?”
from The Invitation by Navigator Church Ministries
