Devotions is a pretty big deal for Christians today: Get alone with God and read your Bible and pray! I really enjoy my devotional time, but I got to wondering: is it a thing?

Before the invention of the printing press in 1436, almost no one had a Bible in their home. The hand-written copies of scripture were mostly found in public places where they were read to groups. So what did devotions look like for them?

For the ten or so years prior to the writing of even the first book New Testament, what did the early Christians do for devotions?

In the narrative of the New Testament, is devotions ever mentioned? I can find a few glimpses of people alone with God:

• Mt 26:39 – Jesus praying in the Garden (he had meant to be with his disciples)
• Mk 1:35 – Jesus went to a solitary place to pray
• Mk 6:46 – Jesus went up on a mountainside to pray
• Lk 5:16 – Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed
• Lk 6:12-13 – Jesus praying up on the mountain alone
• Acts 10:9 – Peter praying on the rooftop and getting his vision
• 2 Co 12:8 – Paul prayed for his thorn to be removed

Interestingly, all I could find is examples of people being alone with God to pray. Not to read their Bibles, not to study the Bible, not to read other books or listen to podcasts or go through devotional material. They spoke directly to God, and he often spoke back.

So I’ve been trying it out: believing that God is right there with me and just talking with him the whole time. I’m finding it more intimate, more vulnerable, and frankly, harder work than getting an insight out of the Bible. Also, at least in my short sample size, more effective: my prayers are being answered.

Then I had this thought like, uh oh, is everyone getting their own perspectives on the Bible every morning building our unity or threatening it? And, oh shoot, am I spending my best time in the Bible all by myself when I should be sharing the experience with someone else? And, oh no, is reading the Bible together like they did back in the day a better way to hear from the Holy Spirit?

It’s too early for conclusions, but I am going to keep exploring this route.