How to Spend the
Day With God
Richard Baxter (1615-1691)
A holy life is inclined to be made easier when we know the usual sequence and method of our duties - with everything falling into its proper
place. Therefore, I shall give some brief directions for spending the day in a holy manner.
Sleep
Measure the time of your sleep appropriately so that you do not waste your precious
morning hours sluggishly in your bed. Let the time of your sleep
be matched to
your health and labor, and not to slothful pleasure.
First Thoughts
Let God have your first awaking
thoughts; lift up your hearts
to Him reverently and thankfully for the rest enjoyed the night before and cast yourself upon Him for the day which follows.
Familiarize yourself so consistently to this that your conscience may check you when common
thoughts shall first
intrude. Think of the mercy of a night's
rest and of how many that have spent that night in Hell; how many in prison;
how many in cold, hard lodgings;
how many suffering from agonizing pains
and sickness, weary of their beds and of their lives.
Think of how many souls were that night called from their bodies
terrifyingly to appear
before God and think how quickly days and nights are rolling on! How speedily
your last night and day will come! Observe that which is lacking
in the preparedness of your soul for such a time and seek it without
delay.
Prayer
Let prayer by yourself alone (or with your partner) take place before
the collective prayer of the family.
If possible let it be first, before
any work of the day.
Family Worship
Let family worship be performed consistently and at a time when it is most likely for the family to be free of interruptions.
Ultimate Purpose
Remember your ultimate
purpose, and when you set yourself to
your day's work or approach
any activity in the world, let holiness to the Lord be written
upon your hearts
in all that you do.
Do no activity which
you cannot entitle
God to, and truly say that he set you about it, and do nothing
in the world for any other ultimate
purpose than to please,
glorify and enjoy Him. "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Diligence in Your Calling
Follow the tasks of your calling carefully and diligently. Thus:
(a)
You will show that you are not sluggish
and servants to your flesh
(as those that cannot deny it ease),
and you will further the putting to death of all the fleshly
lusts and desires that are fed by ease and idleness.
(b) You will keep out idle thoughts from your mind, that swarm in
the minds of idle persons.
(c) You will not lose precious time, something that idle persons
are daily guilty
of.
(d) You will be in a way of obedience to God when the slothful are in constant
sins of omission.
(e)
You may have more time to spend in holy duties
if you follow your occupation diligently. Idle persons have no time for praying and reading because
they lose time by loitering at their work.
(f) You may expect God's blessing
and comfortable provision for both yourself
and your families.
(g) it may also encourage the health of your body which will increase its competence for the service
of your soul.
Temptations
and Things That Corrupt
Be thoroughly acquainted with your temptations and the things
that may corrupt you - and watch against
them all day long. You should watch especially the most dangerous of the things
that corrupt, and those temptations that either your company or business
will unavoidably lay before you.
Watch against the master sins of unbelief:
hypocrisy, selfishness, pride,
flesh pleasing and the excessive love of earthly things. Take care against being drawn into earthly mindedness and excessive cares,
or covetous designs
for rising in the world, under
the pretence of diligence
in your calling.
If you are to trade or deal with others,
be vigilant against selfishness and all that smacks of injustice
or uncharitableness. In all your dealings with others,
watch against the temptation of empty and idle talking. Watch also against
those persons who would tempt you to anger. Maintain that modesty and cleanness
of speech that the laws of purity require. If you converse with flatterers, be on your guard
against swelling
pride.
If you converse
with those that despise and injure you, strengthen yourself against
impatient, revengeful pride.
At first these things
will be very difficult, while
sin has any strength in you, but once you have grasped
a continual awareness of the poisonous danger
of any one of these sins,
your heart will readily
and easily avoid them.
Meditation
When alone in your occupations, improve the time in practical and beneficial meditations. Meditate upon the infinite goodness and perfections of God; Christ and redemption; Heaven and how unworthy you are of going there and how you deserve eternal misery in Hell.
The Only Motive
Whatever you are doing, in company
or alone, do it all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Otherwise, it is unacceptable to God.
Redeeming the Time
Place a high value upon your time, be more careful
of not losing
it than you would
of losing your money. Do not let worthless recreations, idle talk, unprofitable company, or sleep rob you of your precious time.
Be more careful
to escape that person, action
or course of life that would
rob you of your time than you would
be to escape thieves
and robbers.
Make sure that you are not merely never idle,
but rather that you are using
your time in the most profitable way that you can and do not prefer
a less profitable way before
one of greater profit.
Eating and Drinking
Eat and drink with moderation and thankfulness for health,
not for unprofitable pleasure. Never please your appetite
in food or drink when it is prone to be detrimental to
your health.
Remember the sin of Sodom:
"Look, this was the iniquity
of your sister Sodom:
She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food and abundance of idleness" - Ezekiel 16:49.
The Apostle Paul wept when he mentioned
those "whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame -- who set their minds on earthly things,
being enemies to the cross
of Christ" - Philippians 3:18-19. O then do not live according to the flesh lest
you die (Romans 8:13).
Prevailing Sins
If any temptation prevails
against you and you fall into any sins in addition
to habitual failures, immediately lament it and confess it to God; repent quickly
whatever the cost. It will certainly cost
you more if you continue in sin and remain unrepentant.
Do not make light of your habitual failures,
but confess them and daily strive against them, taking care not to aggravate them by unrepentance and contempt.
Relationships
Remember every day the special
duties of various relationships: whether as husbands,
wives, children, masters,
servants, pastors, people,
magistrates, subjects.
Remember every relationship has its special duty and its advantage for the doing of some good. God requires your faithfulness in this matter
as well as in any other duty.
Closing the Day
Before returning to sleep, it is wise and necessary to review the actions
and mercies of the day past, so that you may be thankful for all the special
mercies and humbled for all your sins.
This is necessary
in order that you might renew your repentance as well as your resolve
for obedience, and in order that you may examine yourself to see whether
your soul grew better or worse,
whether sin goes down and grace goes up and whether you are better
prepared for suffering, death and eternity.
May these directions be engraven upon your mind and be made the daily practice
of your life. If sincerely
adhered to, these will be conducive to the holiness,
fruitfulness and quietness of your life and add to you a comfortable and peaceful death (Source:
http://www.puritansermons.com/baxter/baxter5.htm
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