Understanding Why You Need Devotional Time

It is natural for Christians to want to develop an intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  One way to do this is to spend time each day devoted to being in God's presence.   Prayer is time devoted to God that we all should plan for each day.  Setting an appointment time to be with God means you will be there each day at that time for however much time you have allotted.  This does not mean you cannot do short prayers as desired or needed at other times of the day,  It just means for the devotional time chosen you will concentrate on knowing more of God.  Prayer is one part of devotional time, reading and understanding God's word is another part.

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, 

that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." 
- Romans 15:4 (KJV)

Using a devotional guide or Bible study allows you to read the Bible while motivating you to get more from what you read.  A good devotional works to enlighten the words you read from the Bible to make it easier to understand.  Stories or questions included in devotional guides help to make the Bible reading more personal.  To further your study, reflect on the scriptures and make personal notes of how the verses you read are applicable in your own life.  Doing so will help you apply what you read to your life and help you grow stronger in your knowledge of God, thus improving the relationship.

Praise time may also enhance your devotional time by bringing joy into your soul as you tell God how much he means to you.  You can do this during your prayer time or add a favorite praise song into your appointment time at the end or the beginning to get you in the mood for worship and communing with God through his word.  Whether you pray it, sing it, or listen to it - praise will enhance your relationship and personal experience with God.

You may also want to read Six Benefits of Ordinary Daily Devotions from the Desiring God site.