In our day, much emphasis is placed on keeping physically fit. The number of joggers, walkers and those who work out seems to be increasing. Some physical exercise is necessary and should be practiced on a regular basis, but the Bible says that spiritual exercise should be pursued even more rigorously. Time spent in prayer and Bible study and meditation and Scripture memorization will bring spiritual profit now, and will yield rich rewards throughout eternity. We read in 1 Timothy 4:8, "Bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."

Every one of us needs to strive to stay in top spiritual condition through the discipline of daily devotional exercise. The absence of private daily devotions is the number one reason for backsliding among professing Christians. The practice of daily private devotions goes by several names—manna in the morning, the daily watch, the quiet time, daily devotions, or the family altar—but regardless of what we call it, seeing that it becomes a regular part of our daily life is highly important.

Getting Alone With God

"In the morning, rising up a great while before day, [Jesus] … departed into a solitary place and … prayed" (Mark 1:35). If Jesus, the eternal Son of God, felt the need to rise early and pray, who are we to carelessly neglect the important activity of getting alone with God and seeking His face at the beginning of each new day? To find quiet moments with God each morning requires discipline, but it pays rich rewards.

Some people prefer their devotional period in the evening, like Isaac, who "went out to meditate in the field at the eventide" (Genesis 24:63). It depends a great deal on one's bodily constitution and on the individual's job schedule. The important thing is to set a time, and then stick to that time every day.

Bible Reading

The Bible is the major source of spiritual food. It is likened to milk (1 Peter 2:2), bread (Matthew 4:4), and meat (Hebrews 5:12). Jeremiah the prophet said, "Thy Words were found, and I did eat them" (Jeremiah 15:16).

It is important to develop a systematic plan for reading the Bible. At least a few times in life it is good to read the entire Bible through from cover to cover. The Scripture Almanac is a helpful guide to reading either a chapter a day, or the whole Bible in a year. Often it is more meaningful to read the Bible slowly and very thoroughly, jotting down notes as you read. The daily quiet time is not to be a mere mechanical reading of the Bible; it is rather a time to be concentrating on meaning and seeking to absorb spiritual truth.

Quiet Meditation

The word "meditation" has a Latin root which means "to ponder" and "to weigh." Meditation requires reflection and contemplation and study. To meditate means "to give careful thought to" a particular issue. Meditation has always been considered a central part of Christian devotion. Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, thinking things over, and "dwelling on" the doctrines and truths of Scripture.

To meditate effectively, silence is very important. And silence in this noisy world is more and more difficult to experience. The machines of industry, the wheels of business, and the vehicles of transportation are all noisy. Many people seem to prefer some kind of noise—a radio, a television, or a cassette or CD playing just about all the time—but those things are not conducive to wholesome meditation.

Meditation is thinking long and soberly about God's love and redemption and guidance and sovereignty, etc. Whether we like it or not, it takes time to be holy; it takes time to digest the Word of God. Meditation is one of the keys which enables us to take what we learn and apply it in daily living.

The Quiet Time and Prayer

After God has spoken to our hearts through His Word, we should be ready to speak to Him in prayer both in praise and in seeking His help to obey what we have read by putting it into practice in our daily life.

It is good to begin our prayer time by confessing our own sins—acknowledging wrong motives, unlovely thoughts, and poor habits. Talk to God like you would to a trusted earthly father. Tell Him how much you love Him. Thank Him for what He has done. Lay out your needs before Him. Intercede for those who have special burdens, and ask the Lord to guide you throughout the day.

In Hebrews 4:16, we are instructed to "Come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Bible reading, careful meditation, and sincere prayer—these are major components of the daily quiet time which every Christian should practice.

Hindrances to Regular Daily Devotions

It is much easier to try and do other things than it is to spend time alone on a regular basis with the Lord.

Failure to Concentrate

In Colossians 4:2 we are instructed to "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." The word "watch" means "to be alert" and "to guard against wandering thoughts." Most of us discover that the mind tends to wander when we attempt the daily quiet time. Sometimes, while reading the Bible and praying, we find that our minds are thinking about all the other things we ought to be doing.

We must keep several things in mind: First, this is a spiritual battle and not necessarily a personal weakness. It is just that the devil would love to ruin your devotional life. Second, remind yourself, during those few minutes of private devotions, that you are in the presence of the Almighty, and that you are on holy ground. Third, try reading and praying aloud. Put forth a real effort to concentrate on what you are saying or reading. Fourth, keep a prayer list; write down on a piece of paper the names of persons you want to remember, and concerns you want to lift up to God.

The Rush to Serve Can Hinder

Oswald Chambers says that the biggest enemy of devotion to Christ is service for Christ. When the disciple of Christ becomes excessively busy (even busy doing good things to please the Lord), it is easy to neglect our own inner life—and in this way we can become an easy prey to temptation. We must guard against neglecting our own personal daily devotional life while we are doing work for the Lord.

The Scriptures emphasize godly and pious living. One of the secrets of living a godly life is the diligent practice of daily devotions. It is impossible to live right without daily food. It doesn"t matter how faithfully and how diligently we attend and participate in church services, or how many Bible study seminars, family camps, Bible conferences and revival meetings we attend—if we fail to observe habits of regular prayer and systematic Bible study, our spiritual growth will be stunted and hampered.

The discipline of reading needs to be developed with painstaking earnestness, especially in these days when multitudes waste time on hobbies, watching television, "harmless" things of the earth, or on the abundance of defiling things of the world, the flesh, and the devil that are so easily accessible in this present age of moral and spiritual decay.

The practice of observing regular daily devotions, if it is done in the right spirit, will—more than any other thing we can do—make us more nearly what we ought to be in every way. We will be better persons. We will face the day with the confidence that comes from communion with God and giving Him first place.

—Bible Helps, adapted