Why Spend Time with God?

Why Spend Time with God?

(in His Word)

Break down your typical day.

For many people, there are (somewhat) standard hours in which we eat, sleep, and work/study. Let's say that takes around 18 hours. What do you do in the remaining 6? Some may turn to family and friends. Others, perhaps entertainment. Yet, if I may ask this, how much time is saved for the Lord—the one whom we claim to love? Out of the 24 hours we have each day, how much undivided time belongs to “the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them” (Ps 146:6)? If we call ourselves people who love God, in which to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil 1:21)—symbolizing that our lives’ purpose is to be like Christ, who regularly spent time with the Father (Matt 14:13; Mk 1:35; Mk 6:45-46; Lk 4:42 etc.)—then we should likewise enjoy being in the presence of El Shaddai. Yet, is that truly the case for you? Do you really yearn to draw near to Him so that He may draw near to you, as it is written in James 4:8?

(I am not a fan of putting stories in my blog but here’s one)

I once confronted a friend who wanted to be in ministry about why he didn’t spend time with God. His answer was: “If God is omniscient (knows everything) and omnipresent (is everywhere), I am spending time with Him all the time.” This is a real story. I don’t know how much this friend believed in what he said, but consider this: let’s say you’re married; and your spouse is with you 24/7. Yet, even though he/she is with you all the time, you make no effort in communing, talking, or spending time with him/her. Would your spouse feel loved or feel like he/she is in a relationship with you? By no means! (which was the strongest Greek phrase to indicate refusal!)

Hence, if we claim to be God’s bride and yet make no effort in spending time with the One whom we claim to love, are we truly in love and relationship with Him? This is a serious question to consider. With that mentioned, the following will present 4 points to why spending time with God is vital in the Christian life, followed by applications.

#1: Basic Indicator of a relationship with God

It is totally plausible that one who spends regular time with God in prayer and in His Word could do so out of religion, legalism, tradition, or an insincere heart and motive (or all the above). Yet, one who does not, or makes no attempt, in doing so will certainly not be in a good, healthy, loving, sustainable, relationship with God. No way.

Jesus—the one whom we are called to imitate (Rom 13:14)—spent tons of alone time with the Father (Matt 14:13; Mk 1:35; Mk 6:45-46; Lk 4:42 etc.); and He was God! If we are not God and bound with a nature that is “under sin” (Rom 3:9), how can we not draw near to Him?

The opening Psalm in Psalms begins with, “Blessed is the man…who’s delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Ps 1:1-2). The “law”, back in the context of the psalmist, was the Word of God! Psalm 1 is about the contrast between the way of the righteous—those in the Lord—and the wicked, those who are not. And that contrast is firstly based on whether one dwells in His Word. In fact, Psalm 1 ends with “the Lord knows the way of the righteous” (1:6; cf. Ps 11:7; 33:5; 146:8; etc.), symbolizing that those who are righteous are those who have a relationship with God, as He personally knows those who love Him (1 Cor 8:3).

Thus, a basic relationship with God has to revolve around spending time with the One whom we call the “lover of our souls”. Oh, and by the way, if one doesn’t spend time with God, that person should not even bother making claims about how “God told me this…” How does one who does not know God personally know that God has personally spoken to him/her? (in most cases)

#2: Enables one to love and obey God

Christ says in John 14:15: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” He then says, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (14:23). The greatest commandment is to love the Lord with everything (Matt 22:37). Hence, to love God is to obey His Word in everything. Yet, how can one love and obey God if one does not even know what is written in God’s Word?

Therefore, if being a Christian is to be in love with God and to live a life “worthy of the calling” (Eph 4:1), the only way one can do so is by spending time with God.

#3: Enables one to experience God personally

The ways of God are oftentimes opposite from the ways of the world. The way of the world usually suggests us to have faith (to believe) after evidence, witness, or experience. The way of God oftentimes suggest that experiences come after faith.

Many Christians are craving for a touch of God that will set them on fire as His witnesses to the ends of the earth. I believe that this can be the case. However, prescriptive verses usually tell us to “draw near to God” first, which is to make the effort in faith to know God, then “He will draw near to us” (Jas 4:8; 2 Chron 15:2; 28:9; Zech 1:3; Mal 3:7 etc.). The truth is, if you are in love with someone, you will initiate your love. If you are wholehearted grateful for something someone has done, you will initiate to be grateful. In the same way, if you believe God is real, and you want to experience Him powerfully in your life, (you will) draw near to Him.

Scripture writes that we are to set our minds on the things of the Spirit (Rom 8:5-7), things that are true, honourable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise (Phil 4:8), then “the God of peace will be with you” (Phil 4:9 cf. Rom 8:6; Gal 6:16). To experience God’s peace and security, one must live in the Spirit, which first requires knowing God in His Word in obedience. Thus, if you want to experience God, you have to make the effort in faith to spend time with Him.

#4: Enables one to be Spiritually Mature

Paul wants every Christian to be mature in Christ (Col 1:28). He writes that “Let those…who are mature think this way”, which is to press on towards the goal in Christ (Phil 3:14-15). A spiritually mature Christian wants to grow and press on as a believer and testimony—an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor 5:20)—so that God may be glorified in one’s life!

Yet, in order to be spiritually mature, one must be skilled in the word of righteousness—which is the Word of God (Heb 6:12-13). Colossians 3:16 writes: “Let the Word of God dwell in you richly”, thus enabling one to teach and admonish one another in all wisdom! Oftentimes the mature are correlated with those who are wise. Hence, in order to be wise and mature, one must dwell in the Word of God, which is not a bunch of “empty words”, but “your very life” (Deut 32:47).

Conclusion & Application:

At the end of the day, God is the good Father who desires the best for us. He wants us to live a victorious, Spirit-filled life in a deep relational intimacy with Himself. He has given us what we need to achieve that—the Word of God. Thus, my prayer as I write this is that you may live in a good relationship with God through a lifestyle that yearns for God, every single day, before desiring anything else.

A good way to do this is to set practical rules and regulations in your life. This is because our flesh naturally does not want to spend time with God in His word, and in order to combat that, sometimes we need rules. Perhaps make it a rule of “no social media until after having quality time with God.” A missionary family had this policy of “no eating” unless one has “eaten from the daily bread”—the Word of God. For some, perhaps the rule should be, “no entertainment”, whether that be gaming (of any sort), tv shows, sport, music, shopping…unless one has let the Word dwell in oneself (this is currently my rule).

And don't set unachievable goals. Start with baby steps. Perhaps start with the practice of spending 30 minutes (out of 24 hours, which is 1/48 of your day), or reading 2-3 chapters alongside prayer and worship. For some others, raise the bar a bit, such as reading the Bible once, or twice, three, or seven times a year. You can also be creative about it, such as with memorization or listening to Scripture (like 99.9% of those in biblical history). You are also encouraged to spend time with God through fasting! Whatever the case, let us ultimately put God and our relationship with Him first in our lives by doing it (Jas 1:22).

-Barnabas Kwok

Biblical and Theological Studies Student at BIOLA University

"Younger" Age = Younger Faith?

“Younger Age" = Younger Faith?

(4 Biblical cases)

The culture and social norm throughout biblical history were always geared towards respecting those “older”. This would naturally translate to those who are older having “more say” in spiritual topics, as one of an older age would naturally be considered having an older faith—or greater spiritual maturity. Hence, in this article, we will dig deep into Scripture to see what God has to say about this topic—whether one of a younger age is deemed to have a younger, less mature faith.

Please note that this is not an attack on those who are “older”, for everyone can be in Christian settings where they can be “older” or “younger”.

This article will present 4 biblical cases which deal with the relationship between age and spiritual maturity, followed by a message to the “younger” and “older” respectively.

Case 1: Job

Let’s begin with Job, the oldest book in the Bible. After the argument between Job and his 3 friends, in which they could not win the argument (Job 3:1-32:1), Elihu, the youngest among all, decides to speak (32:2-37:24). Not only does Elihu speak, he even rebukes the 3 wise men alongside Job. Take note that Scripture writes: “Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he” (32:2), implying that the general culture back then honored and respected those who were older. Yet, just because Job’s 3 friends were more advanced in age, it did not imply that they were more advanced in wisdom.

This is evident from (1) what Elihu said and (2) the final outcome. (1) First, Elihu begins his speech by stating that he is “young in years” (32:6), but affirmed that it is the “Spirit of the Almighty that makes one understand” (32:8). This statement is biblically profound as Proverbs 2:6 writes similarly: “the LORD gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (cf. Ecc 2:6; Dan 1:17). This statement, alongside the rest of his discourse, shows that Elihu—despite younger in years—should not be viewed as less wise or spiritually immature, thus qualifying him to say: “listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom” (33:33).

Obviously, that phrase sounds arrogant and prideful, but what if Elihu actually had authority to “teach them wisdom” because of his spiritual maturity? In fact, (2) since the final outcome had nothing against Elihu, it could imply that Elihu’s age did not equate to his faith. This is evident from how the LORD only rebuked Job’s 3 friends (42:7-9) but not the young wise man. Thus, while I am not asserting that everything Elihu said might have been biblically accurate, there is no denying that the culture (1) favors those older and (2) thinks of those younger to be less wise and spiritually mature. Yet, Scripture argues that those younger may not be less wise or spiritually mature.

Case 2: David

When the prophet Samuel grieved over Saul’s rebellious, people-fearing heart (1 Sam 16:1), God told him to anoint a new king from Jesse’s sons (16:1). Jesse made his 7 eldest sons pass through Samuel, but the LORD chose none of them. Samuel even thought that Eliab, the eldest (1 Chron 2:13), would be God’s chosen one (1 Sam 16:6). Interestingly, God chose David, the youngest among all (16:12-13), a man who was after God’s own heart (13:14). Take note that God saw David as a man after His own heart prior to anointing him.

Thus, this story also shows that the culture (1) generally favors those older and (2) thinks of those younger to be less wise and spiritually mature. Yet, according to God’s view, those who are younger may not necessarily have a spiritual life worse than those older. This can be seen as God’s anointing does not necessarily correlate with age, as He viewed David higher than his brothers.

Case 3: Jesus Christ

In Mark 10:13-16 (cf. Matt 19:13-15), it is written that the people of the crowds (Mk 10:1), presumably parents or relatives, brought the children to Christ (10:13). Take note that it was not the children themselves who barged in to meet Christ. The disciples, however, rebuked the parents and relatives, not the children, for bringing them to Jesus (10:13). Of course, Christ allowed the children to come to Him. He even laid hands on them and said: “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” (10:14-15)

Hence, from the actions of the apostles, it can be discerned that the general culture had a slight disdain for those who were young. Perhaps they thought those younger were inadequate to be with Christ or with “deep” topics related to faith or the Kingdom. Interestingly, in Luke’s account, it is written: “Now they were bringing even infants…” (Lk 19:15). The “even” is enough to affirm that bringing those younger to Christ was not part of the norm.

Thus, from Matthew 19, Mark 10, and Luke 18, it can be affirmed that the general Jewish culture during the time of the Bible (1) favors those older, and (2) believes that those younger should have less say/participation in spiritual events. Yet, Jesus—who was a counter-cultural figure—accepted those who were “weaker” and “less mature”, not just to Himself, but to the Kingdom of God (Matt 19:14; Mk 10:15; Lk 18:16).

Case 4: Timothy

The last case, which is my favorite, relates to what Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:11-16. Now that we have a better grasp of the cultural bias back then, consider what Paul wrote to his child in the faith (1 Tim 1:2). Paul tells Timothy to (1) “let no one despite” him for his young age, but (2) to set himself as an example to the believers in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity (4:12), and (3) to command and teach (4:11).

Let’s unpack that. (1) First, the reason why Paul told Timothy to not let the other believers despise him because of his age, was because they probably thought lowly of him based on that! Hence, when Paul continues to tell him (2) to set an example among the believers, even among older Christians, with his life—speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity—Paul was implying that Timothy was even more spiritually mature than the other believers. (3) Lastly, because Timothy was more spiritually mature, Paul told him “to command and teach” the church despite he may be miles younger than most of the congregation!

Thus, this Scriptural passage shows that the general culture would “despise” those of a younger age, including those in a church setting. Yet, from what Paul wrote to Timothy, it appears to be clear that he did not think one’s spiritual maturity was indicated by age. Paul would also disagree with the claim: “younger age = younger faith.”

Other cases include: 
Jeremiah: But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you..." (1:6-7)
Titus: Read chapter 2. 

Conclusion & Application to the “Younger”

From the 4 biblical cases presented above, it is evident that age does not always determine spiritual maturity. God’s anointing is not dependent on age as well. Hence, if you are “younger”, or placed in settings where you are “younger” than the rest of the community or congregation, do not despise yourself. Rather, just as Paul told Timothy to set himself an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, you are to do the same. In fact, precisely because God does not expect less of you as His anointing is not based on age, you should not hold yourself to a lesser calling or think that you have time to be immature. Now is not the time to slack off in the faith, but to step up!

Of course, by no means do I imply that the "younger' have the right to challenge, dishonor, or disrespect those who may be older but perhaps less spiritually mature. To set oneself as an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity includes being humble and serving one another--as Christ came to serve and not to be served (Matt 20:28).

Ever since I was 16, I would look at my favorite pastors or those whom I considered mature and Godly. Some were 20 years older than me, some 30, 40, and 50. Whatever standard of lifestyle—whether in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity—they held to, I vowed to God that I would at least match that because God has not called anyone, regardless of age, to immaturity, but the opposite of that (Col 1:28).

Conclusion & Application to the “Older”

If you are the “older”, or placed in a situation where you may be older than most, please bear in mind—especially if it’s because of the social norm or culture—that those younger than you may not necessarily have a younger faith. Of course, for many who have been walking with the Lord faithfully for a long time, that is oftentimes the case (that they are more spiritually mature). Yet, even in such situations, I believe it is the perfect opportunity to practice humility and to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph 5:21), just as how Christ came humbly to us, submitting to the Father’s will.

I pray that this article encourages and convicts us to not act according to social and cultural norms that may not be biblical. Let us be aware that, while culture may not always be bad, we need to cultivate a kingdom culture based on the infallible, inerrant, and incorrupt Word of God.

-Barnabas Kwok

Biblical & Theological Studies student at BIOLA University