As I write this, I am in reality reminding myself of the importance and the place of not only devotions, but daily devotions. I sit here in guilt that I am not able to practice what I preach and only wish that my desire was translated into the outflowing of action. So, I ask myself now, in hope that I will revitalise this most fruitful and pleasant practice.
Question: Why do devotions?
The need for daily devotions is a necessarily practice for the Christian life as it can be paralleled with the need for a person to eat each day. The image parallels further when a person doesn’t eat, they lack the strength to accomplish what they need to do on a day-to-day basis; likewise, for a Christian to neglect their spiritual food, most easily found through devotions, is to deprive their spiritual essence from the sustenance to live the Christian life day-to-day. In the act of devotion (quiet times, meditation or any other similar practice), a Christian receives their daily sustenance to carry out the day-to-day needs of the Christian life.
Question: What is devotions?
Devotion need not be focused or centred on one thing, the only common aspect of devotions is to be drawing strength and sustenance from the throne of God Himself. Only through the in-filling of His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, and continual renewal of our souls are able to live the most-difficult Christian life. Devotions (aka daily Bible reading, prayer, quiet times and any other similar act), then, may involve one or more of the following: reading the Word of God (The Bible), prayer or meditation. Each of these have one purpose: to focus our thoughts and lives on that of the Living God and to nourish us spiritually from the Spirit of God Himself. In doing so, by focusing on the Living God and having been nourished, we are able to live our day-to-day Christian lives going from strength to strength.
Many other questions can be asked and there are books that are devoted to this topic. Normally, this is where people would suggest books to read, however, I only suggest one thing. Do it! Devotions is a personal practice and is not crafted by others experiences while they may help. Each person has a unique , special relationship with God and your devotions should be a reflection of that. In your reading of the Word of God, in your conversation with God in prayer, with your meditation on the faithfulness and goodness of the things of God…between you and God, your devotion will be as unique as the cooking styles from person to person.
