Devotions Take Devotion
Are you fully committed to having a devotional time with the Lord each day?
Devotions take devotion.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus must be done purposefully. In order to take in the Word,
you must empty yourself; or how can he fill you?
When I spend time quietly in Scripture in the mornings, I am continually awed at His
faithfulness in teaching, rebuking, correcting, leading, or encouraging me.
Last year, I started with an empty notebook, and each day, after reading a portion of Scripture
(mostly the Psalms and Proverbs at that time), I would jot down the thoughts and ideas
that came to me. It was astonishing even to me, a writer, how quickly the pages
filled up. Each and every day, I had new ideas to record; new thoughts or reminders of old
lessons that I needed to keep in mind, or to share with others.
Nowadays, instead of writing down all my thoughts I record them as devotions. Occasionally I keep them to myself, if I feel they are only meant for me. But
the focus here is not me or what I do with the gleanings from the Word; the idea I want to
convey is that you, too, can have daily communion with the Lord, and "hear" his thoughts.
That's what reading the Bible is all about.
Nancy Leigh DeMoss says:
"Each of us has the opportunity to cultivate the beauty of a daily devotional life. Time
spent alone in the Word and prayer each day will bear fruit in our lives as we experience an everdeepening intimacy with the heavenly Father.
Those who are willing to come apart from the clamor and demands of each day’s activity
in order to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to His words will experience an intimacy that most
believers will never know. The fruit of that devotion will be manifested in an orderly, peaceful
life.
Should you choose to cultivate your heart as a garden of the Lord, you will be blessed
and others will be blessed. And it is all, all, all for the Beloved."
Having a nice little devotional to write is fine and good; but living a godly, ordered and peaceful life is even better and both result from time spent in the Word and prayer.
So, I'll ask you again--Are you spending time with God each day?
Are you devoted to having devotions?
If not, determine in your heart to become so. A better life is only a closer walk with Jesus away.
PRAYER: Lord, Grant that we may come humbly before You each day, seeking Your wisdom,
leading, correction or encouragement-Your strengthening. We need You. It is not a sacrifice to
come to You--it is a great and miraculous privilege, forged for us through Jesus' Sacrifice. O, thank you for it! Speak to our hearts until we all reach a unity of the faith. Start with our lives, and affect the culture as You see fit. In Jesus' Name.
A Final Note: From Ms. DeMoss again, comes the following quote:
"S.D. Gordon said, 'Prayer wonderfully clears the vision, steadies the nerves,
defines duty, stiffens the purpose, sweetens and strengthens the spirit."
I couldn't agree more.
Amen, and Amen.
Linore
©2009 LinoreRoseBurkard
