The Standard Note

Jesus felt the need for three simple habits in His earthly life: (1) He stood up to read; (2) He went up a mountain to pray; (3) He taught people the Scriptures—all “as usual” (Lk 4:16).

These three habits—reading the Scriptures, exposing oneself to God in prayer, and passing on to others what one has found—are basic to the spiritual life. If Jesus Himself couldn’t get along without them, how can we?

I am often asked by interviewers how I maintain my spiritual life. I usually reply that it centers on a daily quiet time with God. There are some days when a morning quiet time is not possible, but most of my mornings begin with a time closeted with God in prayer.

Someone sent me a brochure once, telling me of a home that had opened, which they described as “a place in the country where those who have lost their spiritual freshness may come to tone up and be invigorated.” My quiet time is such a “place.”

A sheep rancher in Australia found that his violin was out of tune, and being unable to find another musical instrument to provide him with a standard note, he wrote to a radio station asking them to strike that note. They did just that—stopped a program and struck the note. The sheep rancher caught it, and the violin was in tune again. Your daily quiet time will help you hear God’s “standard notes.” Then you can tune your flattened notes to His.

Further Study

Ac 10:1-8; Lk 6:12; 2Ch 29:2

What is recorded of Cornelius?

What is said about Hezekiah?