A quiet time, O Lord,
when I can meet you face to face,
and have my inner self restored
by fresh reception of your grace:
      I set aside this time, my God, for you, for you -
      please meet me here, and do what you would do.

A time of praise, my Lord,
when I adore your loveliness
and give you thanks for all you've poured
in blessings on my worldly mess:
      I set aside this time, my God, for you, for you -
      please lift my heart in gratitude anew.

A time of sorrow, Lord,
for sins which I have done, and good
I've missed: they tie me down like cord,
yet Jesus cut them by his blood.
      I set aside this time, my God, for you, for you -
      please cleanse my guilt, forgive where I'm askew.

A time of scripture, Lord,
and pondering what it would say,
so you can highlight from your word
the truth I need to live today:
      I set aside this time, my God, for you, for you -
      please speak, O Lord, bring your insights to view.

A time of prayer, O Lord,
when I can lay before your throne
those cares which cut me like a sword -
I need not carry them alone:
      I set aside this time, my God, for you, for you -
      please answer my concerns, my fears subdue.

In dedication, Lord,
I need to come to you each day.
In conflict, when the lions roared
you shut their mouths, took them away.
      I set aside this time, my God, for you, for you -
      Release my heart, your presence here imbue.

Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2006.

(1) What’s it for?, and
(2) How do I do it?

So here’s a song to answer the questions (there’s a tune on the web site).

What it’s for is in verses 1 and 6. It’s for God to do his work of changing me to be more like he wants me to be. And it’s necessary for me to come to him even when there are pressure points in my life - as Daniel did, and God kept him safe in the lions’ den.

How to do it is in the middle verses. Spend some time on each of these things: praise, confession, reading the bible and asking how it should affect my life, and praying about my concerns. All these things are easy to say, but sometimes we need reminding to do them.

There’s a bible-reading scheme on our weekly notices sheet - or you can follow “Daily Bread” or other programmes. Why not start this month?

John Hartley