Today we continue our series entitled, “Back to the Bible,” with Part 36. We have been looking at Psalm 119. Let’s continue to walk through this amazing psalm. Today we will only look at one verse, 114, from The Passion Bible Translation.
David said:
(v.114) You’re my place of quiet retreat, and your wrap-around presence becomes my shield as I wrap myself in your word!
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- Once upon a time people went to work to work and when they came home they were disconnected from work. Those days are over. We live in an increasingly connected world and technology has, without question, changed daily routines, family dynamics, and our overall social construct. David said that God was His “quiet retreat.” Now more than ever, we need to make time to retreat from the craziness of our busy schedules to spend quiet time in God’s presence.
- Most people today have more task than time. So they say, “I don’t have time to read my Bible.” Or, “I don’t have time to pray.” Or, “I don’t have time to slow down.” Actually, we cannot afford NOT TO! You can be active and not productive. You can be busy and ineffective. If you slow down long enough to spend quality time with God, He will see to it that you will do more with the time you have left than you ever could on your own.
- Never underestimate the value of spending quiet time with God. When you “still yourself” in God’s presence, His favor will go before you as you leave the moment. And the favor of God can do more, in a minute, than your labor could do in a lifetime!
- David taught us that when we slow down long enough to enjoy a quiet retreat in God, we can wrap ourselves in His Word. When we do, we also get to wrap ourselves in His presence. This type of quiet time is needed today more than ever.
- When you “still yourself” and spend quiet time with God, you can wrap yourself in His presence and rest. In that moment, if you begin to meditate and medicate on God’s promises to you, He will speak to you in the stillness of His presence in a way that you just don’t get in the craziness of your normal work schedule. So SLOW DOWN. If you do, God will see to it that you SPEED UP!
- Most people today have too much to do. We have more going on, during an average week, than we can handle. This makes SLOWING DOWN in order to spend quality time in the presence of God even more important. If you SLOW DOWN and wrap yourself in God’s presence, when you leave that encounter, you will know where to go, what to do and what to say.
- Spending quality time with God makes you more efficient, effective and productive; it increases your effort-to-impact ratio. So while you may think you can’t afford to spend time with God, I will tell you that you can’t afford NOT TO!
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. There is SO MUCH I am believing You for. But I also have SO MUCH going on. I often have MORE TASK than TIME. My calendar is packed. My schedule is busy. And this is why I MAKE TIME to SPEND TIME in Your Presence. I wrap myself in Your presence and I meditate and medicate on Your Word as I do. When I leave Your presence I am more efficient, effective and productive. Your favor goes before me and it opens doors for me I could never open on my own. I SLOW DOWN in order to SPEED UP and I enjoy supernatural success as I do! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
