Why have a Daily Devotion?

Scripture does not explicitly say we must practice daily devotions, but the Scriptures are replete with instances where it suggests the wisdom and value of this practice. In our church, we post right in the front of the church how many people from the prior week were daily Bible readers. Unfortunately, it hovers only around 25% of the total attendance. My concern is if we are not in the Word the Word is not in us, and we will be unable to be the followers (imitators) of the Lord, and won't have the mind of Christ, nor the power to stand fast in the Lord when faced with the many issues of life. Thus, the answers to the following questions should not be difficult to answer:

Are we not to have the mind of Christ? Are we not to be renewed in the mind? Isn’t the battle that we have each day for our minds? Is our view biblical or a world view? How do we answer the difficult questions in life?

Hence, by spending special times of undistracted attention in God’s presence, we hear Him and fellowship with Him (Ps. 27:8; 46:10). We cannot love God and develop our relationship to Him more than we know Him. And we get to know Him more through focused attention in a daily devotional time.

The broadest and the most basic reason why we should have daily devotions is because God seeks fellowship with believers, and this truth starts in the early chapters of Genesis and continues in Scripture through the Book of Revelation (for example, Gen. 3:8; Ps. 27:8; 42:1–2; 63:1–8; John 1:14; 4:23–24; 1 Cor. 1:9; Rev. 3:20). STOP. Don’t read any further until you read those texts verses. It’s not what I say that’s going to have an effect, but what the Word says, so don’t pass by the Scriptures. You see one of our problems in the 21st Century here in America is we’re too accustomed to fast food and getting something for nothing. Not so, in our time we must spend with our Lord. If you have read those verses, you see that it is understandable that human creatures should seek fellowship with their Creator. However, that the holy Creator should seek reconciliation and fellowship with human beings is amazing, particularly after the fall of the human race. We serve an awesome God, who is mindful of us. In other words, His mind is full of thoughts toward you and I continuously. Take a look at Ps 4:5, a verse I have on my daily prayer journal that I read just about every day. It’s that good.

Two more specific reasons why we need daily devotions relate to communication between God and His people.

First, we need a scheduled time each day to read, study, memorize, meditate on, listen to, and apply Scripture. God has spoken to us in Scripture, and if we want to know what He has said, we must search Scripture with receptive and expectant hearts. Don’t pass by what was just stated there – receptive and expectant hearts. It’s not something we do just to do and check off on our task lists, so we can feel good about ourselves. Believers should respond to the Bible as a dry sponge responds when it contacts liquid. We should passionately (pathos) soak up Scripture and let it saturate our minds and souls. Passages such as Joshua 1:8; Job 23:12; Psalms 19:7–14; 119:97–104; Matthew 4:4 Hebrews 5:12–14; and 1 Peter 2:2 show the vital necessity of God’s Word. As it is clearly seen in these verses, daily devotions should include a time for serious intake and application of Scripture. Paul exhorted Christians, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.” (Col. 3:16).

Secondly, we need a scheduled time each day for worship, prayer, and fellowship with God. God speaks to us through His Word, and He desires us to respond to Him through prayer. Scripture reveals many godly persons whose prayers were a vital part of their daily practice.
David mentioned the practice of praying to the Lord three times a day (Ps. 55:16–17), and this was also Daniel’s practice (Dan. 6:10–11). Daniel’s times of prayer were more important to him than life itself (6:12). Christ evidently prayed frequently and also practiced continual and perfect communion with the Father (Mark 1:35; John 8:29). Paul repeatedly prayed, especially for believers in various churches (for example, Phil. 1:3–4; Col. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:2–3), and his times of prayer must have occurred at least daily.

Can you imagine if churches would get serious about spending a devotional time with Him, and what God would and could do through people that are faithful to His word and lead in their daily lives by the principles of God’s word that they have hidden in their hearts?

Bibliography:

Charles R. Swindoll and Roy B. Zuck, Understanding Christian Theology (Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003), 1069.

Stephen D. Eyre, Drawing Close to God : The Essentials of a Dynamic Quiet Time : A Lifeguide Resource (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1997).

First Steps in the Christian Faith., Revised 1984, 1993, 2004 (Moody Bible Institute: Chicago, IL, 1957).