Be Still: A Simple Guide to Quiet TimesExemplo

Be Still: Where's your Garden?

In today’s passage, we read about God’s original creation intent: one where he walked and talked with Adam and Eve on a regular basis.

There is this wonderful phrase in Psalms 46:10 that says ‘Be still and know that I am God’

It’s an invitation to stillness and knowledge of God that has echoed down throughout history.

Most mornings I get up, make myself a cup of coffee, get my journal, Bible and books and sit in the same chair in the corner of my living room. I settle down and take the time to place myself in a space that is conducive to encountering God.

I fully believe that prayer—a devotion to relationship, encounter, and conversation with God—is the root of all we do. Directionless lives are given meaning in relationship with God. This relationship is grown in community and through discipleship, but also by establishing and developing our personal devotional lives.

Just as Adam and Eve walked with God each day, we can grow in our relationship with Him through the practice of a quiet time: to specifically tune into God through prayer, Bible reading, and reflection. A quiet time is when we not only speak to God but ask God to speak to us.

Quiet times are about encountering God. This word encounter means to ‘meet with'.

Intentionality is key. The Bible began with a regular intentional encounter in a specific place at a specific time.

As we have read today, humanity’s original space for an encounter with God began in a garden.

God took a daily walk for pleasure with Adam and Eve! This was the original creation intent.

Picture them stopping, waiting and listening, stilling themselves getting ready to walk and talk with God. This was what the original quiet time looked like.

We need to intentionally create space in our lives for regular encounters, the space to walk, talk and listen with God.

Where’s your garden?

The Hebrew word for garden is ‘gannah’, which literally means, "a covered or hidden place," We all need a hidden place to meet with God.

Life’s seasons will change and there will be times when this will be easier than others. You may have time to give an hour of your day, or you may just have a few minutes between school runs. God understands but he also longs for you.

Where is your place of stillness and encounter?