Personal Devotions - Using A Devotional

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One of the things that I try to do every year is to read a devotional book.  As a part of my personal devotions.  I usually try to find one that has enough readings to last the entire year.  I like the way that it supplements what I read in Scripture.  Some of the devotionals that I have read in the past are:
    Battlefields & Blessings: Stories Of Faith And Courage From The Civil War - Terry Tulley
    Tozer On Leadership - Ron Eggert
    Daily In Christ - Neil & Jean Anderson
    The One Year Book Of Christian History - Michael & Sharon Rusten
    Extreme Devotion - Life Of The Martyrs
    Leadership Promises For Every Day - John Maxwell
As you can see the list is rather random.  Two devotionals on leadership.  Two on history.  And one each on spiritual warfare and suffering & death.

So about the beginning of December I started searching for a devotional to read for this coming year.  I did a Google search and also checked on Amazon.com.  Then I went to Christian Book Distributors (www.christianbook.com), an excellent site for Christian resources.  Well, I couldn’t find anything that I liked.  Which is unusual.  Oh well.  Looks like I’m not going to be using a devotional this year.

Then I received a $50 gift certificate to CBD from my secretaries for Christmas.  So one night I decided that I would check out the site to see what they had available that I might want to purchase.  Whenever I visit the CBD site it’s like I’m a kid in a candy store.  (My secretaries both say the same thing.  It’s not a matter of if we are going to purchase anything but rather how much!)  So I get on the site and my first search was for books.  Sure enough I found 4 that looked very interesting.  So I ordered them.  (To add to the already swelling number of books that I have to read!)  But I also found a devotional that looked interesting.  Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.  Funny, I just checked the site 2 weeks earlier and couldn’t find anything that I liked.  But this looked good.  So I ordered it as well.

Well, on January 1st I opened my new devotional.  The book is rather small (4" x 6", 1" thick, hardback).  I read the introduction.  It was the author’s description of her spiritual journey and the events that led to the writing of her book.  Then I read the devotional thought for January 1st.   All I can say is wow!  This book is exactly what I was looking for.  Thank you, Lord!  The thoughts aren’t very long.  In fact, they are rather short.  The daily thoughts revolve around experiencing the presence of Jesus.  Something I am very, very interested in.  I also have another devotional, Strength For The Journey, by Joseph Stowell.  I was reading it last year until I went on a short-term missions trip to El Salvador & Guatemala in March.  In the 2 weeks I was away I got behind.  Since I already had a couple devotionals going at the time I decided to let this one drop.  Until this year.

I guess what I’m saying in all of this is that if you already haven’t already, try adding a devotional to your personal devotions.  It’s not too late to search for one now.  There are all kinds out there.  One of them will most likely meet you right where you are.  (A classic is My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers.  Selwyn Hughes also has several available.)  While a devotional is not on par with Scripture it can be very beneficial.  I find that it adds both breadth and depth to my devotions.  It gives me someone else’s perspective on things.  Scripture.  Life.  What they are thinking.  How they are coping.  Where God is working in their life.

So give adding a devotional to your personal devotions some thought as you set your course for 2012.  I know that I am very excited about how God is going to use both His Word and the devotionals in my life this year.

Lord, I thank you for the thoughts and perspectives of other believers.  They challenge me.  Encourage me.  Inspire me.  Thank you for the devotionals that I have to read this coming year.  May You use them to speak to my heart.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.