Years ago, a friend’s husband told my friend who relayed to me his belief that God was calling me to write devotionals. I was so prideful at the time that I thought the whole idea ridiculous. First, I decided since the word “devotional” isn’t in the Bible that God would not possibly call me to write them. Second, I felt I was being called to write “books” which I suppose in my arrogance I must have figured were more valuable than devotionals. Some years now later, the pride smashed to smithereens, I have written numerous devotional books and countless devotional messages. And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE writing them. But I am also aware of their dangers and share this warning with you now.
The first danger is we need to NEVER put any book no matter how focused it is on the Lord, no matter how many Bible verses are in it, and no matter how truthful and encouraging the book is above THE LORD and THE BIBLE. Jesus and the Bible and LIVING FOR HIM must come first in our hearts, in our lives, and yes, in our reading!
The second danger is that all humans are fallible, no human writing is perfect, and we need to be enormously careful when we read Christian books including devotionals to measure what we read against the Bible. If we read anything that does not line up with the Bible, that goes against it, we need to let it go. Again, God and the Bible must come first.
So many people use devotionals to help them in their relationship with God and in their alone time with Him, and this is all well and wonderful when it is done at the leading of the Holy Spirit, when God is glorified, and when the reader is challenged, encouraged, and helped to grow in faithfully believing in and following and LIVING FOR JESUS. For those who do use devotionals, please do it wisely. Let the Lord lead the way!
And remember number one. The Lord and the Bible. Amen!