According to Donald Whitney in Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, “No Spiritual Discipline is more important than the intake of God’s Word.”
Put in context of his writing, Whitney asserts that reading the Bible is the most important spiritual discipline for Christians. I have some other ideas–namely, that prayer is the most important discipline. Its important to read about God in the Bible and to learn from God’s Word, but is that more important than talking to God directly?
What do you think?
Comment below!
I believe both are essential in a Christian’s spiritual growth and health. That being said, what God has to say to us is more important than anything we could say to Him. Many verses of scripture can be examples, but David had this to say:
“For Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name” (Psa. 138:2).
Our prayers are as fraught with failure as we are, but the Word of God is infallible, immutable and eternal. We can fall for one of Satan’s “devices” of feeling quite spiritual about our prayer life, when in fact, we are like the talkative person to whom one listens and listens, occasionally nodding his head, but receiving little or no opportunity to “get a word in edgewise.” They do all the talking, but give little time listening to what God has to say to them.
That’s a great point, Leo! Thank you!
I’m afraid the above comment fails to understand the full meaning and experience to real prayer. Prayer is not just one person speaking to God; but two person; both God and the one praying and it is in listening to God in prayer that is the ultimate praying. You have many, in fact millions, of Christians in the world (China or other places where it is against the law to even own a Bible) where folk without Bibles have learned the primacy of prayer. Prayer is direct contact with God. I am not discounting the vital importance of Bible study; but if I had my choice of prayer or the Bible; I’d choose prayer and would most likely be praying that God would add His blessings by providing me a Bible to further enhance my fellowship with Him.
When we are praying, ideally, there is one person in the room….
the Father.