Devotional books have influenced my Chrisitian walk as much if not more than any sermon. From the moment I started my first devotional book I was sold. Unlike my bible, which I often had a hard time understanding, it was written in language I could understand and even told me what lesson I was supposed to get out of a certain verse. It led me to a relationship with my God which I wouldn’t have otherwise.
You may ask what is a devotional, or why use a devotional, or even why is a devotional so important? All good questions and maybe you would like to check out these links.
Devotions are like a date night with God, but in my case I do my devotions in the morning.
Recently, I looked at my pile of four devotional books and I thought ‘really Wendy, is this necessary? Aren’t you just skimming through these and not even letting the many lessons sink in? Wouldn’t you be better off to just read one little devotional and then get right into reading your bible?’
I often do this. Question the way I do something and make big changes on a whim. Do you do that?
So, I cut myself down to one little devotional book each morning. And guess what? I got less out of my bible study instead of more.
And so I went back to my four devotionals and guess what? For the first time, after all these years, I realized the value of the four. They prepared me, my heart and my mind and my soul to get more out of my bible reading and prayer time. Reading all four devotionals made my quiet time with God, more meaningful and not less meaningful.
I compare it to a church service with four worship songs before the message is given. Sometimes I am daydreaming during the first song. Then maybe thinking about my past week during the second song. Possibly by the third song I am actually entering into worship. And by the fourth song I am totally engaged and worshipping my God with all of my heart! And by then I’m ready for the sermon.
If I sang only one song I wouldn’t even be prepared to listen to a sermon, no matter how good it was.
You may wonder what my four devotionals are?
STREAMS IN THE DESERT 1
The oldest, I have been reading for over 40 years. It is my favourite and a favourite of many of my friends as well and that is “Streams in the Desert 1”. Written by Mrs. Charles E. Cowan, it is a compilation of her own and many of her favourite messages over the years. Mine is all marked up, underlined, sometimes a date added and the messages, and falling apart. Although I have read it many times, it still inspires me and helps get me ready for the day.
JESUS CALLING
My second one I have been reading for over 10 years and it is “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young. There are not enough words to describe what this book means to me. Each day it’s as if the message was written just for me and my circumstance. And after 10 years the messages are still fresh and invigorating.
You see, we tend to forget easily. So reading the same devotional for years is not a waste of time.
Just like reading your bible over and over is not a waste of time.
MY BIBLE TELLS ME SO
My third book is my own “My Bible Tells Me So”. So many friends have commented on certain messages meaning a lot to them, and sometimes I get asked to read an excerpt when I am speaking and so I decided I need to be up-to-date and familiar with what I wrote. So I picked up my own book and started to read.
At first it felt weird. I was critical, almost self-conscious wondering things like ‘would this even make any sense to anyone?’ or ‘would people actually read this?’ or ‘is this even any good?’ But I continued to read. And you will never guess what happened. I was no longer reading it subjectively and criticizing my own work, but I began to read it objectively, like my readers do. And gradually the Holy Spirit took over and it was no longer ‘my’ book but it belonged to God and he was the one who wrote it. And guess what? I am now enjoying it and getting a lot out of it, as if I am reading it for the first time!
365 DAYS OF PRAYER FOR WOMEN
And then every year I try to introduce something new. This year it is a dear little book I got at a discount store called ‘365 Days of Prayer for Women’ published by Broadstreet but no author given. It is delightful and I am treasuring every word.
These four devotional books are like four friends. I spend time with them every morning. They make my walk with my Lord richer.
All of these books are available on Amazon.
But you know, it is not just a good devotional book that will make your quiet time special, it is you, and the fact that you choose to take this time for you and God. Once you decide that, God has your attention and that decision alone prepares your heart to receive anything value out of a variety of devotional books.
What are some of your favourite devotional books?
