Short Bible Devotions
With so many short Bible devotions available to the consumer, just about anyone can find the perfect book to fit his or her needs. Browsing through the available selections, one can find devotional books geared to a variety of different markets. These may be divided by hobbies, professions, sports activities, relationships, or by age group. Bible devotions for children, for new moms, for runners and walkers, for married couples and those who are single -- all these and more fill the bookstore shelves and publishers' catalogs.
Many different studies focus on specific Biblical events, characters, doctrines, or themes. For example, short Bible devotions can be found for those struggling with the difficulties of infertility, the aftermath of divorce, and the empty nest. Others celebrate the joys of high school or college graduation, marriage, and becoming a new parent or grandparent. For those seeking deeper Biblical knowledge, studies are available based on such topics as the lessons that can be learned from Old Testament heroes (or villains) or the women who are named in the Bible. From the lives, mistakes, choices, and good deeds of these people, readers can gain a deeper understanding of how to respond to the good and bad times they are experiencing while seeking spiritual growth. They also learn, in an entertaining way, that it was king Saul who visited the witch of Endor and Balaam who was rebuked by a donkey.
Perhaps the most well-known and popular of the short Bible devotions is Oswald Chambers' classic, My Utmost for His Highest. First published in 1927, the devotions, one for each day of the year, are based on the notes Biddy Chambers, Oswald's wife, took of his lectures. Chambers' insights on numerous topics may be brief, but they are not mere fluff. His readers definitely will find themselves digging deep into God's Word and into their own hearts as they ponder the truths found in Chambers' writings. This is such a powerful book that readers often start over at the end of the year and read it again. The classic has proved so beneficial over the years that it has been translated into thirty-six languages.
People read short Bible devotions for a variety of reasons, but primarily to develop a close spiritual relationship with God. They embrace the psalmist's reason for study: "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119:11). Such books may either begin or end each day's selection with a Scripture passage and includes the author's thoughts both on the Scripture and on the book's theme. The selected Scripture should be carefully selected by the author so that the passage and the author's comments support and enhance each other. Popular works are formatted in different ways. Some include a devotion for each day of the month; others include a devotion for each day of the year. Still others may not be limited to a specific period of time, but have the number of devotions required by the author's publisher. (This relates to the printing costs of varying number of pages.)
Couples, friends, and family members may choose to go through a devotional book together. The goal of these groups is to increase their relationship with God and with each other. Two or three people may get together to hold each other accountable for a specific issue the group is facing. Parents often choose Bible devotions for children so that the entire family can benefit from studying together. By establishing this practice when the children are young, the parents are helping them establish good habits for Bible reading and study. Devotions that are geared to the child's age will be written in a vocabulary that the child can understand. The parents can use the stories as teaching tools to instill positive characteristics into their family dynamics.
With the technology available today, Bible devotions aren't limited to books. Savvy internet users can log in to a multitude of websites to read devotional thoughts by famous preachers such as Charles Spurgeon. Those interested in online studies can sign up to have devotions from a selected source delivered to their email address. There is even a website that delivers Bible devotions for children in an audio format. Boys and girls can listen to Bible stories that teach an important truth from God's Word.
An important aspect of any good devotional, whether found in a book, on a website, in an email, or heard through the computer's speakers, is the takeaway. This is the moral truth or lesson that a person can apply to his or her own life. The skillful writer, whether of a book or an audio script, presents the takeaway in a subtle manner so that the reader doesn't feel preached at or pounded upon by a self-righteous know-it-all. The intent is not to tear people down, but to offer God's compassion and present His teaching on the particular topic.
No matter what a person's interests, hobbies, or activities, his profession or marital status, her deepest concerns or aching difficulty, there are certainly short Bible devotions to meet the reader's need. For parents, Bible devotions for children are available in a variety of formats to help the child develop the habit of studying God's Word and improve her knowledge of Biblical events. By doing devotions together, family members and friends grow closer to God and to one another in their spiritual walk.
Many different studies focus on specific Biblical events, characters, doctrines, or themes. For example, short Bible devotions can be found for those struggling with the difficulties of infertility, the aftermath of divorce, and the empty nest. Others celebrate the joys of high school or college graduation, marriage, and becoming a new parent or grandparent. For those seeking deeper Biblical knowledge, studies are available based on such topics as the lessons that can be learned from Old Testament heroes (or villains) or the women who are named in the Bible. From the lives, mistakes, choices, and good deeds of these people, readers can gain a deeper understanding of how to respond to the good and bad times they are experiencing while seeking spiritual growth. They also learn, in an entertaining way, that it was king Saul who visited the witch of Endor and Balaam who was rebuked by a donkey.
Perhaps the most well-known and popular of the short Bible devotions is Oswald Chambers' classic, My Utmost for His Highest. First published in 1927, the devotions, one for each day of the year, are based on the notes Biddy Chambers, Oswald's wife, took of his lectures. Chambers' insights on numerous topics may be brief, but they are not mere fluff. His readers definitely will find themselves digging deep into God's Word and into their own hearts as they ponder the truths found in Chambers' writings. This is such a powerful book that readers often start over at the end of the year and read it again. The classic has proved so beneficial over the years that it has been translated into thirty-six languages.
People read short Bible devotions for a variety of reasons, but primarily to develop a close spiritual relationship with God. They embrace the psalmist's reason for study: "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119:11). Such books may either begin or end each day's selection with a Scripture passage and includes the author's thoughts both on the Scripture and on the book's theme. The selected Scripture should be carefully selected by the author so that the passage and the author's comments support and enhance each other. Popular works are formatted in different ways. Some include a devotion for each day of the month; others include a devotion for each day of the year. Still others may not be limited to a specific period of time, but have the number of devotions required by the author's publisher. (This relates to the printing costs of varying number of pages.)
Couples, friends, and family members may choose to go through a devotional book together. The goal of these groups is to increase their relationship with God and with each other. Two or three people may get together to hold each other accountable for a specific issue the group is facing. Parents often choose Bible devotions for children so that the entire family can benefit from studying together. By establishing this practice when the children are young, the parents are helping them establish good habits for Bible reading and study. Devotions that are geared to the child's age will be written in a vocabulary that the child can understand. The parents can use the stories as teaching tools to instill positive characteristics into their family dynamics.
With the technology available today, Bible devotions aren't limited to books. Savvy internet users can log in to a multitude of websites to read devotional thoughts by famous preachers such as Charles Spurgeon. Those interested in online studies can sign up to have devotions from a selected source delivered to their email address. There is even a website that delivers Bible devotions for children in an audio format. Boys and girls can listen to Bible stories that teach an important truth from God's Word.
An important aspect of any good devotional, whether found in a book, on a website, in an email, or heard through the computer's speakers, is the takeaway. This is the moral truth or lesson that a person can apply to his or her own life. The skillful writer, whether of a book or an audio script, presents the takeaway in a subtle manner so that the reader doesn't feel preached at or pounded upon by a self-righteous know-it-all. The intent is not to tear people down, but to offer God's compassion and present His teaching on the particular topic.
No matter what a person's interests, hobbies, or activities, his profession or marital status, her deepest concerns or aching difficulty, there are certainly short Bible devotions to meet the reader's need. For parents, Bible devotions for children are available in a variety of formats to help the child develop the habit of studying God's Word and improve her knowledge of Biblical events. By doing devotions together, family members and friends grow closer to God and to one another in their spiritual walk.
Short Bible Devotions
![]()
Reviewed by Anonymous
on
2:06 PM
Rating:
