STOP: If you haven't read the June 6 entry called Defining... jump down to read it first!
Having asked, I thought I should share my results with you (you can see a further definition in Graceful Journey's comment under June 6's entry). So this is what "Devotion" means, and where it came from. Does it change the way you think about your quiet time?
I knew the secular meaning of the term, and that's what made me begin to wonder in the first place. It means:
2 a : the act of devoting b : the fact or state of being ardently dedicated and loyal (as to an idea or person)
Interestingly the first meaning of the word is religious:
1 a : religious fervor : PIETY b : an act of prayer or private worship -- usually used in plural c : a religious exercise or practice other than the regular corporate worship of a congregation
Hmmm... To be honest it's the etymology of the word that really gives me pause. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary has it's source in devovere which means "dedicate by a vow". In fact, the entire word has heavy connotations of vows and allegiance. I wonder if the term came from monks and nuns taking vows to serve God and then "devoting" their time to worship (another word that seriously could use some defining).