Ten Steps to Daily Devotion
Recently, a survey of a group of believers who had reached a
certain degree of foundation in age and belief showed that, although over 90%
of them regularly attended Sunday worship, only a little more than 30%
regularly did daily personal devotion. This was less than the numbers who
engaged in service positions, fellowships or committees. It reflected the
tendency of the participants to lean towards conspicuous group activities and
neglect invisible personal lives. In fact, these results are somewhat similar
to that of the “Spiritual Survey” conducted at our church a few months ago.
Of course this is not a healthy situation, because daily
devotion is a very important avenue for us to establish an intimate
relationship with God. Devotion signifies our desire to communicate with God,
worship Him, know Him, wait for Him, and submit to Him. It also represents the
root of our being. For plants, unhealthy roots mean the whole plant will not be
healthy. Let me now share with you a simple “Ten Steps to Daily Devotion”. I
hope that we will all strive to learn it and develop a strongly rooted
devotional life, so that we can enjoy more of the excellence of living.
1. Set
a time – the perfect time for devotion is in the morning, because your energy
is refreshed and extraneous thoughts are fewer. If it is felt that time is too
rushed in the morning or thoughts can be more concentrated in the evening, then
evening devotion is not unacceptable. Try in the morning to review your
insights from the previous evening’s biblical reading and pray in supplication.
That too can constitute the day’s power.
2. Find
a quiet place – seek a corner where you can be at peace and concentrate on
being close to God. Avoid unnecessary interruptions.
3. Begin
with a prayer – begin with a simple prayer so that you can prepare your heart
to wait for God in quietude, or you can hum a favourite hymn to praise the
Lord’s perfect character.
4. Systematic
reading of the Bible – devotional reading of the Bible is best done
systematically in order and sequence. Don’t wait until the same day to decide
on the passage, or just read where you’ve flipped over the pages. If you’re
just beginning to develop your life of daily devotion, you can start with the
four Gospels in the New Testament, and then continue with each book in turn.
5. Study
and contemplate – briefly read the passage and search for the overall theme
from a bird’s eye perspective. Don’t choose a passage that’s too long for each time,
but carefully reread it a few times, consider intensively the meaning of the
passage, and observe the works and character of God.
6. Reflect
on life – from contemplating on the meaning of the passage to reflecting on its
relationship to yourself. Declare to God the enlightenment gained from the
passage, and beseech Him to help you understand what in your life you should be
responding to Him about – worship and praise; acknowledgment of sin;
admonishment and comfort; renewal of strength; new direction and goal. While
reading the Bible, think. While thinking, pray in response. While praying,
await the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit. That is communicating with
God.
7. Utilize
tools – after reading and contemplation, make use of certain publications for
devotional aid to help you keep from drifting off course in consideration of
the passage.
8. Write
down insights - this will help you record God’s grace, and let you review your
own spiritual growth in the future.
9. Apply
passages – find a principle of application from the message of the passage, and
then use it in your life. If there is a Golden Verse, memorize and recite it.
10. End
with a prayer – the prayer can include thanksgiving and intercession. Ask God
to help you apply the passages read to your life substantively, remind you to
always walk with Him, and carry out His teachings. Never cast aside God right
after your devotion and disregard His existence, returning once again to your
life of self-determination and selfish actions.
By: Esther Hung