The timeout is a critical tool for winning ball games. In basketball each team is allowed a limited amount. A coach calls a timeout for a variety of reasons:
- Thwart the momentum of the opposing team
- Refocus his players
- Set up a special offense or defense
- Give his players a rest
- Overcome the crowd noise to send in instructions
Regardless of the reason, when a coach calls a timeout, the players huddle around him with their undivided attention. No one is on their cell phone, visiting with the cheerleaders, or talking with their friends. A coach has 60 seconds to get his idea across. Often he explains his plan visually on a little whiteboard so the players can see as well as hear what is said.
Jesus modeled and taught how to live in relationship with the Father. The Gospels tell us that Jesus frequently responded to the Father’s “timeout”. One example is when Jesus took a timeout with his Father in the midst of a very successful healing ministry. The result was an entirely new “play/plan” (Mark 1:32-39).
I consider my daily appointment with God (AWG) to be like a coach’s timeout. It is a few minutes each day when I give my Coach my undivided attention. I have found that the first thing in the morning before there is too much crowd noise, is the best time for me to hear his voice and understand what he is writing on the whiteboard.
I will know his directions when I allow Christ to speak his Word into my life on a consistent basis. Some days I feel like I’m playing offense and other days I am on the defense. But each day I need his play.
My AWG is not a time for training or long explanations but for words of encouragement and clarity. There are other times when I need to practice and train. The AWG is not a time for extended Bible study; that’s a different discipline. But each day I need a fresh word from my Coach.
A simple plan to see what’s on the whiteboard looks like this:
- Refocus
Honestly admit the current state of your heart and mind. “This morning I feel like I could climb a mountain; I’m so pumped!” OR “Right now my anxiety indicator is off the charts. I know I should not be anxious, but that is where I am.”
Next refocus by reviewing some of the portraits of Christ that hang in the gallery of your mind. Finish the statement, “Lord, today I acknowledge that you are my ………..” (Shepherd, Friend, Shelter, Healer, etc.)
- Read
As you go through a book of the Bible, read a short passage such as a paragraph, several verses, or maybe a chapter. But keep it short. Read it over several times.
- Reflect
Think about the meaning of what you just read. Asking questions such as what, why, how, and when, can help in this process. And most important, ask how this is relevant to your life.
- Record
Write down your main thought in a journal…keep a log of what you hear God saying. This is your whiteboard. Journaling clarifies and focuses your mind as you ask the Lord, “What is the one idea that you want me to reflect on today? What’s the play of the day?”
- Respond
Pray back what you hear Christ’s Spirit saying to your heart. Prayer makes it a dialogue. Take what you have heard for yourself and pray it for others as God brings them to mind. Pray the “play” into reality.
You will need to initially give some structure to your AWG if it is to become a spiritual habit. Pick a time and place where you can be alone, undistracted and consistent. Let your family know what you are doing so they can support your efforts.
You will probably need more than 60 seconds for a profitable AWG…but you don’t need an hour. Start with 15 minutes until it becomes a pattern. Then increase as you have opportunity. Initially it may seem like you are performing a duty rather than personally meeting with the Lord. But once you master the mechanics, your focus will become your relationship with Christ rather than filling in an outline. At that point your AWG changes from being a duty to an absolute delight.
As you develop your ear to hear from God, you will find it easier to share your whiteboard experience with others as well.
Reflection:
- What is a next step for you to become consistent in a daily AWG
- What obstacles will you face? How will you overcome them?