Picking a Daily Devotional for 2025

This is the time of year to start thinking about Spiritual Formation resources for the coming New Year.  Something that can help you take some time every day to dive into the Bible and connect to Jesus in prayer helps cultivate a deep, intentional life with Jesus.  This goal is at the center of our focus on the PracticingTheWay.org material by John Mark Comer here at Harderwyk.  CLICK HERE for the book or on the previous weblink to learn more about that.

I'll have to admit, my reflexes move away from the typical daily devotional format: one page per day with a Bible verse and some commentary.  I am more inclined to look for a straight Bible-reading plan that connects me directly to the Bible itself.  I can read and then meditate using the SOAPS format (CLICK HERE), or the classic Lectio Devina (CLICK HERE) or a simple study Bible with notes.  

But for many people the daily devotional is a regular habit.  There are also a good number of new, very well done resources in this format that I've used and benefitted from.  Let me give you a quick rundown of great ones that I have used and recommend.

God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Book of Proverbs – Tim & Kathy Keller - CLICK HERE for Amazon link

• I first used this devotional by Tim & Kathy Keller in my own practice in 2019.  It was so transformative that I did in 2020 as well.  And guess what I used again in 2020?  Yes friends, it was that good.  The Kellers helped me see the Proverbs in light of the Gospel of God Grace that pursues wisdom for living through relationship with God.  Before, Proverbs had been more like a collection of moralistic aphorisms that I read like laws to obey.  If you only ever have one daily devotional, this is the one.

New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional – Paul David Tripp CLICK HERE for Amazon link.

• I've appreciated Paul David Tripp as a conference speaker for years.  Solid Reformed theology, pastoral counseling depth and great communicator.  After you are done with the Kellers, or if you only read one book by Tripp, make this the one.

Everyday Gospel: A Daily Devotional Connecting Scripture to All of Life – Paul David Tripp  CLICK HERE for Amazon link or HERE for ChristianBook.com and compare prices

• This new devotional by Paul David Tripp - see above - is a daily Bible reading schedule that gets you through the entire Bible in the year.  With that are daily reflections by Tripp that seem brimming with Gospel insight.  I'm using this and regularly meeting with a group of men throughout 2025 to talk, pray and "what did you underline" together.  I'll update next December.

Mockingbird Devotional: Good New for Today (and Every Day)  CLICK HERE for Amazon link.

• MockingBird is a website/podcast/magazine/ministry of Gospel-centered, mostly-Anglican, artsy-millenials from Charlottesville associate with David Zahl.  CLICK HERE for their website and give them a look.  

This devotional was great for me: gospel-centered, lots of movie and music illustrations, younger perspective and very well written.  Broaden your gospel vocabulary and give the devotional or website a try.

One Story that Leads to Jesus by the Bible Project

This is primarily a Bible-reading program - entire Bible in 365 days - that I am using on my ipad through the YouVersion Bible app.  Basically systematic Bible reading - see above for how I dig into the text - interspersed with teaching videos by the Bible Project that give great visual overviews to Bible books, keywords, practices and history.  For a change-up, I listen to the psalm for each day audible by a tap in the app.  Nice experience.