Daily Devotions, the good that comes from them.

2/20/2011

Daily Devotions

Daily devotions are a discipline. Like any discipline or exercise the benefit is not realized easily without practice and repetition. But if you commit to doing them the good they bring to you is amazing. Let me say, in the beginning it is not about quantity or quality, we are not expected to run a marathon when we first start working for goals in track and field. It’s about consistency. Even if you start with only one verse or thought at day, little by little that one will become many. It has been written, line upon line, referring to the act of building. Indeed the common maxim – One day at a time. – And the eastern proverb that says – The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. – Both of these are reflective of starting small. I had a pastor who used to say – It is not how you start the race that counts, it’s how you finish. So if you want to commit yourself to beginning a program of daily devotions start small.

I am an Anglican, and for our services and such things we use a liturgical guide called – The Book of Common Prayer. It is a virtual atlas of road maps you can use to guide you on your way of learning to do daily devotions. And that is how I started. I also use a little devotional guide called – Forward Day by Day. It provides some scripture readings and a meditation for every day of the year, for me it is an excellent addendum to the ‘Daily Offices’ that are in the Prayer Book. I have been committed for a number of years to a daily regime of prayer, of the last three years in a more regimented manner. It has paid off for me in so many ways.

It’s not that great inspirational moments come when I sit down, indeed often I am tired, cranky and not very spiritual at all. But I do them. And if I look back over this time I can see changes, often very incremental, but changes none the less. It is like a sculpture, the master has roughed out the image and now he is using finer tools to bring into focus his goal for the stone. Not that he doesn’t have to pull out the hammer once in a while, he does.

One of the things that inspired me to write this today is that I am starting to see changes in form as well as substance. Sometimes I don’t ‘stick to the book’. I go on these little excursions with God and spend the time meditating, reading and praying in ‘free form’ so to speak. It is refreshing. It helps to renew my relationship with him and learn to see new things and new ways of doing things.

So please, I urge you to start some kind of program for yourself, some time when it’s just you and your creator, spending time, getting to know each other and growing. Most important of all you will be in that place of grace where you will be being transformed into His image.