Why I don't have "Devotions"

That title probably surprised or even shocked you. Maybe you are here reading this post because your brain said, "What in the round world has happened to Rachel?"

Hang with me!

YES, I want to spend time reading God's Word each day! I just have a hard time calling my time with God "my devotions".

Devotions

The term has the connotation that I'm dedicated to read my Bible everyday. What if I fail?

Often we are dedicated to something because we want the results to benefit us.

Many are dedicated to their exercise routine because they want to loose weight, gain muscle mass, or become more physically toned.

You may be dedicated to spending daily time in the Word because you want to learn more about God so you can grow in your understanding of how awesome He really is.

That is GREAT!!

However, we can be dedicated to reading our Bible out of guilt. We want God's blessing and feel like He won't be favorable towards us if we do not read something in our Bibles everyday.We may feel like we can only be close to God when we are reading His Word.

I confess, I have operated under those motivations, or fears, in the past.

I ask a friend how her devotions are going... If her life has been crazy leaving her without another hour to spend with her Bible, she sounds a bit guilty telling me so.

When I miss my daily devotions am I not dedicated to God enough?

That is why I have a hard time using the Word devotions in reference to my Bible time.

The fact of the matter is that God ALREADY has blessed us with every spiritual blessing!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: - Ephesians 1:3

He is not going to withhold His blessing from His child because she did not open her Bible that day.

God's devotion to us is not based on our devotion to Him.

The fact of the matter is that God is ALWAYS with us and will never leave us!

He will not leave us to ourselves because we missed our "devotions" that morning.

for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. - Hebrews 13:5b

And I give unto them [believers] eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. - John 10:28-29

The fact of the matter is that the only reason I can be dedicated to God at all is because He is totally devoted to me as one of His Children because His Son died for me. When He looks at me He sees Christ's righteousness!

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: - Romans 3:22

For He [God] hath made Him [Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. - 2 Corinthians 5:21

And be found in Him [Christ], not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: - Philippians 3:9

We do not have to try to make ourselves look good to God. He has taken that upon Himself and accomplished it through Jesus Christ!!

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When I ask my friend how her devotions are going I don't want her to feel guilty because she has not cracked open her Bible the last few days.

I ask because I want to know how her FELLOWSHIP with God has been. I want to know what God is teaching her. Not just through her Bible time but through the circumstances God is leading her through. How God has answered her prayers. How her heart is doing, and yes, what she is reading and learning through the Word when she is able to have that time! It may seem like a silly matter of terms...but it really does make a significant deference when, instead of asking my friends how their devotions are going, I ask them how their walk with God is and if they have learned anything from the Word recently! Our conversation is so much more uplifting!

I have a relationship with my husband. We are bound to each other. Only death can separate that bond. We have a relationship no matter what life may throw at us. YES...we need connected time together, fellowship. Yes, somedays the combination of his work scheduled, the baby and other tasks life throws at us, we do not get to sit down together and have an hour of JUST focusing on each other. But that does NOT mean he ceases to be my husband.

I know all illustrations brake down (my J is not infallible)...but God will never cease to have a relationship with us. Even if we miss a week of Bible study, He will not cease to be our God. He will not take back His already given blessing!

YES, spending totally focused one on one time with my husband is good and healthy for our relationship! YES, spending time in God's Word and in prayer is good and healthy for our relationship with our God!

One definition of "Devotion" is a "feeling of strong love or loyalty".

Even on those days when J and I do not get to have each other's undivided attention, we are still deeply in love and loyal to each other.

Even on those days that I do not get to open my Bible I still deeply love and am loyal to my God and He will never break is loyalty to me or cease to love me.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:38-39

J does not want me to make time for him out of fear that he will cease to love me or out of duty. Nether does God want us to come to His Word out of fear or obligation.

When we realize this amazing fact that God has blessed us already and given us everything for life and godliness, it results in awe and gives us the desire to know Him better and know what He has revealed to us in His Word!

If we read our Bibles out of fear, guilt, or obligation I venture to say that we have a wrong view of Who are God really is.

I no longer read my Bible out of guilt or fear. As I have grown to understand who God is and what He has ALREADY done for me I have been freed from that bondage! Time in the Word is so much sweeter!

God wants us to read His Word because we understand that He is truly awesome, He has blessed us and He loves us, because we want to know Him better and understand what He has done and will do!

The main thing I am getting at, the point I want to make is to encourage you to spend time in the Word whenever you can! But also to encourage you that on those particularity busy days that seem like one curve ball after another is being hurled at you and you finally flop down in bed only to realize your Bible is still sitting on the night table untouched... that it is OK! Close your eyes and sleep without guilt! You are still blessed, God is still pleased with you, He is with you, He loves you!