I wrote an article recently in which
I discussed that growing up in church I heard a lot about “quiet time” or daily
personal devotion time, but was never told why they were important. Along the same lines, I was also never taught
how to read the Bible Devotionally. It
may seem to some a silly thing to teach, but when I was in high school and
college, I was often frustrated because daily devotional reading did not come
to me naturally. Over the years, God has
placed several people and resources in my life which have helped me learn how
to read the Bible devotionally.
God continues to place these people
and resources in my life, and continues to put me in situations where I grow in
this area. I am by no means a devotional
master, in fact, I am a novice. It has
only been over the past few years that I have had any real consistency in
reading Scripture daily. If you are
struggling to establish daily time in God’s word, or you desire to begin a
daily devotional time, or you are just looking for encouragement, then I hope
the following ideas and resources are helpful to you. Below are a few lists. The first is a “how to.” The second list contains answers to a few
questions that I have struggled through (and continue to struggle with) about
daily devotion times. The third list
contains some random pointers and the final list contains some resources and
links which you may find helpful.
A Basic “How
To”
There is no definitive method for
doing a devotion. The method below is the one that I started using and, more or
less, is what I still use. At various times, I have incorporated journals,
devotional books, and worship music, but the basic outline has stayed the same.
1.
Pray. Begin and end your devotion
time with prayer. This “Toolkit” along
with the other two articles posted in connection with it focus on devotional
reading, but prayer and meditation must accompany the actual reading of
Scripture for it to truly effect our lives.
2.
Read Methodically. You can try the old “Magic Finger” method if
you would like. This is where you close your eyes, open to a page, and point to
a verse—this is God’s word for you today.
The problem with this is that the Bible was not written to be read one
verse at a time. It only makes sense
when you read it in context. I highly
recommend a reading plan. These can be
found at the link included in the resource section, or in many devotionals. If you don’t have access to a reading plan,
try reading the Bible a book at a time.
If you are just starting, I recommend one of the Gospels.
3.
Meditate on God’s Word. This is deep introspection meditation, not
close your eyes and hum. One of the main purposes of daily time in God’s word
is being transformed according to God’s will. Meditation on Scripture goes like this: We
read, “For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21) We meditate by
letting that sink in, and asking ourselves how our lives match up with
Scripture: “Do we live in such a way that we show dying is a good thing because
it brings us closer to Christ?” “How can
we do so today?”
4.
Pray. End with
Prayer. Pray that the truth you have read in Scripture will influence your
life. Pray that you would have
opportunities to experience God throughout the day. Pray that God’s will would be done in your
life. Pray that the Spirit would lead
you as you live out God’s Word.
When, Where,
How Often, and How Long?
-
WHEN?
Almost every devotion guide will tell you that it is best to set
aside one part of the day to have your devotion time. I think this is true. I find that mornings
are the best time for me to spend time in the Word. It sets the tempo for my day and gives me an
opportunity to cover myself, my family, and my church family in prayer before
the day begins. That being said, today
is Sunday, and I am about to do my devotion after writing this (It is around
7pm) yesterday I spent time with God in the evening, and on Friday I spent time
with him early in the morning. Doing it
at the same time every day is not crucial, but it is helpful. To be honest, I am praying for more discipline
and hoping to make morning devotion times more consistent.
-
Where?
If you have a favorite spot to read or think, I would start
there. Most people live pretty mobile
lifestyles, so I would advise you not to get too attached to one place. Just try to be in places that help you focus
on what God is saying.
-
How
Often? Every day. Our desire should be that God’s word is as
crucial to us as food or as sleep. This
does not mean that if you miss a day you are in blatant sin, but everyday is
the goal.
-
How
Long? This, I believe, depends on your
personality and situation. Christian retailers often sell “One-Minute
Devotions.” I wouldn’t recommend that
you just set aside one minute of your time.
My devotions have ranged from 10-45 minutes depending on what reading
plan and extra activities (journaling, etc.) I was participating in at that
time. I have a good friend who is over
eighty who spends hours in the Word every day and is finding great joy in that,
but she is able to do this because of situation God had placed her in. In short, do what works for you, make sure
you don’t rush it by not carving out enough time, but don’t be rushed by trying
to do more than your daily schedule allows.
A Few Random
Pointers
-
Distinguish
Between Bible Study and Devotional Reading. Using commentaries, lexicons, etc. will
tremendously help you understand Scripture, but that is in-depth study, not
devotional reading. There is certainly a
place for this, but if you try to do it in your devotional time, your devotions
will often become cold and stale. Focus
on how to apply the text to your life.
-
Don’t Rely Too Heavily On Devotional
Material- Reading your devotional book every day is not the same as
encountering Scripture. God wrote the
Bible, a fallible person wrote your devotional.
-
Don’t
Be Scared To Use Devotional Material-
While reading a daily devotional does not take the place of Scripture, they are
often helpful. I have enjoyed using a
variety of them myself.
-
Keep
Things Fresh- I recommend
changing reading plans and trying new things (journaling, listening to praise
music, writing poetry, Scripture memory) at least every year. Remember, prayer, Scripture, and meditation
upon Scripture should always be present, but as the Spirit guides you,
participate in activities which help you communicate with God.
-
Don’t
Judge Yourself Based On Other’s Methods-
Like I said I have a fried who is spending hours in Scripture a day. I do not need to compare myself to her. I should rejoice that she is being faithful
to spend time with God as he is calling her and that I am being faithful in the
way that he is calling me.
Some Resources
You May Find Helpful
Let me tell you a secret about
Christian material: it can get expensive. . . unnecessarily expensive. If you have $200.00 you can buy a genuine
goat-skin leather Bible. Or, you can buy a $40 Bible which will last just as
long, read Matthew 25 in said Bible and be moved that Jesus desires that we
feed hungry people and donate $160.00 to Compassion International. That’s up to you. With this in mind, don’t feel like you have
to go buy everything on this list. Much
of it is free online.
-
A
Reliable Translation of the Bible (This is the only essential thing on the
list)
o
The
English Standard Version, New International Version, New Living Translation,
and New Revised Standard Version, among others, are very good modern, English
translations.
o
The
Message is a very good paraphrase of the Bible by Eugene Peterson. If you use this, check other versions if you
find something that seems a little odd.
Eugene Peterson isn’t a heretic or anything, but the message is just a
paraphrase, not a true translation.
o
There
are some really easy (and free!) ways to access the bible via computer, tablet,
or smartphone. biblegateway.com is a great resource to access via the internet and youversion is a
free app available in the android and apple markets.
-
A
Reading Plan
o
There
is a whole list of these at http://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/. If you have never read
through the Bible, I recommend that you start there with a plan that has you in
the Old Testament and New Testament every day.
These plans are also available on the youversion app. If you are not a computer person, ask your
pastor or check out a daily reading Bible at a Christian Bookstore.
-
A
Devotional Book
o
You
can buy a devotional book in your local Christian bookstore. You can get one that is very specific (i.e.
devotions for businessmen) or something by an author you like. Listed below are
a couple I recommend
§ Taste and See by John Piper. Kind of weighty, but rich. Devotions
take about 2-4 minutes to read. ISBN: 1590524497
§ One Year Women’s Devotional (Recommended by my Wife). Various Authors. Kayla says this has been a great devotional,
multiple authors give multiple writing styles which may help keep things
“fresh.” ISBN: 9781615217311
§ My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. Old, but good. I would recommend an updated English version.
-
A
Journal
-
Highlighters
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Coffee devotions are always more meaningful when you are awake.
I hope this “Toolkit” helps. More
than anything get in the Word!
In Christ,
Cory
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