To start a month of articles looking at the theme of Devotion, Phil Sheldrake takes a careful look at the importance of a life devoted to worshipping God

Some family members of mine were out in Egypt last year. They were staying in a retreat centre run by a Koptic Monastery; part of the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church. They spent their time praying, talking to Koptics monks and studying scripture. On their return I asked them what the wisest nuggets originating from their time in Egypt were. I was amazed because their response was so simple. Simple, yet few make time for it. Jesus said to the Samaritan Woman in John Chapter 4:

“…whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” [Jn 4 v 14]

So what does that mean for us? Perhaps it suggests that if we don’t make personal devotional a priority, we won’t have that welling up of God’s Spirit in us. If we’re not rested, how can we give out to others?

Top athletes and sports stars have strict diets and training routines grounded in discipline. If they don’t train hard, they won’t last the distance. Of course, our relationship with God isn’t based on the hours we put in, the length of our prayers or the amount of the Bible we read… But developing different spiritual disciplines in our lives can help us contemplate God, think through issues in our lives and world, learn more about the character of Christ and think through what it means to serve others.

In this sense, living a life of devotion is the single most important thing you can pursue in your life. And there’s all sorts of ways you can do that. Personally, I love to walk and pray because creation inspires me to pray. Or I might just sit, be still or feel inspired to sing to God. Whatever your preferred method of quietening your soul, do carve out a regular time to approach God. There’s no right or wrong or more holy way to do this. God knows you and He knows your thoughts. All he wants is your company!

One thing is for sure, our devotion and worship can take us deeper into God and outwards in our involvement in the world and our service to others. If there’s one thing you can do that will change your life forever and impact the lives of those around you, it is to run after this depth at all costs. Let nothing get in the way of personal devotion to God.