How does Wayne Grudem start his day?

[Administrator]

In case you've ever wondered... This is from an interview of Wayne
Grudem (2009) by CJ.


I usually wake up about 6:00 a.m., but sometimes as late as 7:00 or
7:30 (if I’ve been up late the night before—I need between 7 and 8
hours of sleep or I don’t think as clearly). I get a cup of tea and
one of Margaret’s excellent high-protein muffins and open my Bible.

I simply read sequentially through the Bible and then start over at
the beginning (I’m currently in 1 Corinthians and Psalms, reading two
portions each morning). I will read the Bible for 15 or 20 minutes,
underlining some verse, or making some very brief notes. Many times I
will wonder about something in the Greek or Hebrew text and check it
briefly, but I don’t get involved in extensive exegesis because that
is not my purpose at that time. I’m looking for God to teach me
directly from his Word, with application to my life.

Usually I just “camp” on a phrase or verse, sometimes writing it out
and pondering application to my own life. I also keep a blank notepad
beside me because God often brings to my mind things that I need to do
and I make a quick note.

Then I will usually pause for five or ten minutes just waiting in the
Lord’s presence and thinking about the verse or talking to him about
it. After that, I pick up a notebook with different pages for people
and things that I am praying for—some pages about various things in my
own life, then my wife Margaret, then our children and their families,
then my parents and other members of my extended family, and then
other friends and people in different organizations such as our church
or Phoenix Seminary where I teach.

There’s also a section having to do with our government and concerns
of our nation and world. That will take 15 or 20 minutes, and
sometimes longer, so the total time may be between 30 and 60 minutes.

At the end of the time I will usually bring before the Lord my “to do”
list, and pray about various items on the list, asking the Lord to
help me know what to make a top priority today, and asking his
blessing on the things that I plan to do. Often at the end I also have
another time of maybe two or three minutes or maybe five or ten
minutes just resting in the Lord’s presence and waiting on him.

I find in those times of quietness, when I’m not praying about
anything in particular but simply resting in the Lord’s presence, that
he will bring to mind solutions for problems, or people I need to
contact, or things I need to write, or things I should not spend time
doing, or any of a number of other things. I also find that over the
course of the entire Bible reading and prayer time a deeper sense of
peace and rest in the Lord’s presence comes on my heart.