Personal worship or devotion is a time when each individual devotes himself to meditation of God’s Word and prayer, as a special means of communion with God. During this special time of individual worship, singing of psalms and hymns can enhance one’s adoration and worship of God. Such a special time with God can be observed early in the morning or in the evening. Some devout Christians, like Daniel of old, would even have their personal time of worship with God three times a day (Daniel 6:10, 13; Psalm 55:17)!
Private worship is most necessary to one’s faithful, triumphant and fruitful Christian life. It is also the root of family and public worship. A man who neglects personal worship would fail to render genuine and fervent family and public worship. Just as he who labours must have his three meals, a fervent Christian must also have his spiritual feeding and communion with God daily.
Some have argued that there is no express command in the Bible to instruct people to observe daily personal worship or devotion. On the contrary, the Bible records very many injunctions to continual meditation of God’s Word and prayer, as well as examples of personal worship by godly men (such as Daniel), for us to follow.
Consider the following biblical commands that call us to daily and frequent devotion of His Word:
- Deuteronomy 11:18 – “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul…”
- Deuteronomy 17:19 – “And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life...”
- Deuteronomy 30:14 – “But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.”
- Joshua 1:8 – “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
- Isaiah 59:21 – “As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.”
- Psalm 1:2-3 – “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
- Proverbs 2:1-5 – “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”
- John 5:39 – “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
- Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom...”
- 1 Timothy 4:15-16 – “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”
Now, consider the biblical exhortations to pray often, and to make prayer a continual habit:
- Matthew 6:6, 11 highlight Jesus teaching us to pray alone in a “secret” place, and also to pray “daily”.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing.”
- Ephesians 6:18 – “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…”
- Romans 15:30 – “…ye strive together with me in your prayers to God...”
Daily feeding upon God’s Word, and communing with God in prayer and worship songs, are essential to our souls’ spiritual nurture and strength. How can we, who claim to love God, be satisfied without having communion and worship of Him?
Brethren, begin and end your day with the Lord. Let your souls be daily renewed and enriched in His presence through His Word and prayer. We should not view prayer as a mere religious performance; nor should our prayers be vain repetitions of asking for some material benefits that we need from God. Rather, it should be the joyful claiming of God’s promises that we read in His Word. As one puritan, William Gurnall, said, “Prayer is nothing but the promise reversed.” He also said, “The mightier any is in the Word, the more mighty he will be in prayer.” If you are regular in your personal devotion, you will certainly be mighty in the Lord.
