Sometimes people ask for a brief outline or description of the devotional life, and perhaps that would be practical to consider.

Many Christians have found meaning in allowing the Lord to awaken them for this personal time with Him. Isaiah 50:4 says,

“He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.”

Some of us have found that an alarm clock simply puts us back to sleep! But when we have allowed the Lord to awaken us, morning by morning, He somehow knows how to bring us wide awake, so that we can make the choice to spend time with Him.

There may be times when He will awaken you in the quiet hours of the night, so that your time with Him will be uninterrupted, and then you can go back to bed until your other duties begin. Other times He may let you sleep in. But if you are ready to give top priority to your time alone with Him, you will find that He will meet you more than halfway in helping you keep that appointment.

We have already emphasized the importance of spending time each day focusing on the life of Jesus. For some of us, it has worked out something like this: First, pray a short prayer at the beginning, asking the help of the Holy Spirit to bring understanding. Then choose a Bible chapter, or an episode in the life of Jesus.

Let’s say that today you are going to read the story of the woman at the well. You turn to the fourth chapter of John and take the story verse by verse, putting yourself in the picture.

Perhaps you are one of the townspeople. Perhaps you are one of the disciples, sent ahead to the town to buy food. Or perhaps you are the woman herself. You are afraid that if people knew about some of the things in your past, they would reject you. You’ve had a lot of rejection already. That’s why you are at this well outside of town on this particular morning. You are surprised when Jesus takes the time to speak to you. But the living water He speaks about sounds inviting. You can hardly wait to share what you have found with your friends and acquaintances back in town so they can come to Jesus too.

After you have spent time in trying to put yourself in the picture, then you pray about what you have read.

You say, “Jesus, I thank You for Your acceptance of me today. I want the living water You told that woman about so long ago. Please put Your well of water in my own heart, overflowing so others can share it too.”

And you continue to talk to Him about what you have read. In this way, your prayers are fresh and different each day. They become more than just a recital of your needs and wants and more of a conversation with Him.

But don’t hesitate, during your prayer time, to present your needs and concerns for that day. God has invited us to ask (see Matthew 7:7, 8 and John 15:7 for examples). Take as much time as you wish. Talk to Him about your plans for that day. Share with Him the things that are on your mind. If your mind wanders, where does it go? Talk to Him about those things, too. Every detail of your life can furnish subject matter for prayer. Invite His control in your life for that day, and accept once again of His sacrifice in your behalf.

Then wait.

After you have said your piece, don’t get up and rush off. There may be something He wishes to communicate to you about what you have just shared with Him. There may be something He wants to bring to your mind—perhaps some wrong you need to make right, some warning you need to remember, or some comfort He longs to bring. Those who take the time to wait before the Lord have often found that God can, in those quiet moments of the new day, send personal messages to their hearts.

Some days He may seem silent, but often you will find that He will speak to you through the avenue of your thoughts, as you wait before Him and then you listen for Him through the day.

The devotional time is not for putting God in a box and then rushing off without Him. It is to be the springboard for communication with Him all through the day, as you walk and work with Him.