My Favorite Devotional Books

I’m a big fan of Christian devotional writing—writing that skillfully uses Scripture with the goal of helping readers connect with God on a personal level. Ultimately, that’s the goal of all Christian writing, but certain books have done that exceptionally well. Here’s a list of my seven favorite devotional books along with a brief summary of each.

Confessions by Augustine (AD 354–430). Known as the first autobiography in Western literature, Confessions narrates Augustine’s life prior to converting to the Christian faith, his conversion, and his life after converting. Augustine’s style of writing is deeply personal and often prayerful. Augustine is a man on fire with a deep passion for God.

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis (AD 1380–1471). This book is written as a creative dialogue between Christ and the author. The author shares his honest thoughts with the Lord, while the Lord responds by correcting, encouraging, and teaching. This is one of the most popular devotional books of all time and its uniqueness lies in its creativity.

The Spiritual Exercises by Ignatius of Loyola (AD 1491–1556). Ignatius, a Spanish priest and founder of the Jesuits, teaches readers how to meditate on Scripture in this work. He also summarizes Bible stories into scenes making it easier for readers to practice lectio divina or sacred reading. For example, he divides a Gospel story, such as Jesus calming the storm, into three or four scenes, and he instructs readers to use their imagination to place themselves in each scene. Finally, he encourages readers to turn their thoughts into a prayer. People who follow the simple steps have found it to be a deeply profound approach to Scripture.

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence (AD 1614–1691). In this book, Brother Lawrence, a 17th century Carmelite lay brother who worked in a kitchen in Paris, teaches readers how he concentrated on God even among the clanging of his pots and pans. Brother Lawrence’s example encourages readers to have a consistent awareness of God in their routine daily activities.

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers (AD 1874–1917). This work was compiled by Chambers’ wife who took shorthand notes on his Bible lectures. These brief reflections have a spiritual depth and focus on Christ that has made them a favorite of many believers in the 20th century.

The Lord by Romano Guardini (1885–1968). Guardini, a Catholic priest, skillfully focuses on the life of Christ as recorded in the Gospels by weaving solid theology, insightful psychology, and probing questions, into power-packed reflections.

The Gospel according to Moses by Athol Dickson (2003). Dickson is an accomplished suspense author and he writes theology like a suspense thriller. This book will have you on the edge of your chair struggling with questions and awaiting insights. Dickson, a Christian, welcomes you into his relationships with his Jewish friends, shows you where to sit in the local synagogue, and gives you access to his thoughts as he’s pondering alone in his study. Theological writing is not usually this exciting.

Devotional writing that stands the test of time is Christ centered, saturated with Scripture, and deeply personal—either the author opens up about his or her life or the author challenges readers to think on a personal level.

Les Bridgeman

After graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I served as a high school Bible teacher in Asia. I enjoy traveling, writing, and playing the drums. My latest book focuses on Paul’s work as a tentmaker and what it means for today.