Spending time with God is a vital part of the Christian life. Without it, we are like dead or dying wood cut off from our tree of life. Spending time with God should become a basic instinct of the Christian life. We want to spend time with our Father, Master, and Friend so we will get to know Him more and know what He desires of us. That way we know how to please Him, to enjoy His presence and friendship, and to become more like Him.
God may sometimes discipline us
A child who avoids a father does so because he feels guilty, because he is afraid, or because the father has done something which causes the child to be angry or has shown to be untrustworthy. Maybe the child was disciplined for a mistake, or maybe the father has been cruel, abusive or rejected the child and is not interested in him. As children of God, the Lord may sometimes discipline us because of our sins. But we can be sure He will never be abusive and never reject us. God can never love us more than He does right now and it is only as we spend time with Him that we discover the truth and depth of this fact.
Like breathing
Spending time with God should become as automatic as breathing. It is a lifeline for our Christian life, the road to spiritual maturity and the path of peace and joy. God desires not only that we spend time with Him reading His word and praying, talking with Him. His desire for us is that we will live consciously in His presence all the time, 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week. Psalm 16:11 says: “In your presence is fullness of joy, at your right hand are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 27:4 adds: “One thing I ask from the Lord … that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord.” There are many similar verses, talking about living in God’s presence. Just like the air all around us, the Lord is constantly with us through the Holy spirit. Jesus Himself promises “I will be with you always” (Matthew 28:20).
He is always at our side. We need to develop our consciousness of His presence, so that we will always be able to please Him, enjoy Him, turn to Him easily in a time of trial, temptation, testing or when we need guidance, help or encouragement. He is our constant source of comfort, help and peace when everything around us seems confusing or chaotic. He will be our rock of refuge to which we can always go. Why be satisfied with just 15 minutes or half hour an hour of ‘quiet time’? God calls us to live before Him every day, all day, and then finally in heaven for all eternity. Then we will see Him face to face!