I’m a creature of habit. Most of us are to some extent and when we get out of our normal routines it can really mess us up. This was made especially clear to me this last week.
For the last year I’ve been writing an almost daily post on EncouragingWordsforToday.com and on Facebook. These have been just little devotional thoughts to hopefully give people a positive start to their day. Well, last week my routine got messed up.
It started out innocently enough. I got a late start to work on Friday, so didn’t have time to write. Sabbath, we went to Walla Walla to visit our boys and their wives. We had a great time, but my writing got shoved to the side. I intended to post on Monday, but had an appointment Something else came up on Tuesday and Wednesday and, before I knew it, over a week had gone by since I’d last written anything.
In looking back at this experience I’ve been amazed at how just this little change in my routine has affected me. I’ve been staying up later and, consequently, getting up late and getting less done. The more days which went by without writing, the less I wanted to write. Last Wednesday, on one of the most beautiful days of the year, I found myself depressed and out-of-sorts, for no apparent reason.
I realize now I need this routine of daily Bible study and writing, even more than the people who read my posts. Digging deep into God’s Word for little gems of truth, strengthens my faith and gives me a foundation on which to build the rest of my life. Most importantly, it keeps me connected to my Heavenly Father, which is something I literally can’t live without.
Jesus knew the importance of routines. Mark 10:1 says, “Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.” In Luke 4:16 it says, “He went to Nazareth…and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read…”. Prayer was an important part of His routine. Luke 5:16 records, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Time with His Heavenly Father, at church and in private prayer, was a priority for Jesus. So was service to others, so He made these things part of His daily routine. If Jesus, the Son of God, felt the need for routine daily communion with God, how much more important should it be for us today?
What are your routines? Is daily Bible study and time spent talking with your Heavenly Father one of them? If not, then why not start today putting time with Him back at the top of your list? It’s a choice you’ll never regret – I promise!
So, until tomorrow, God bless and have a great day – routinely speaking!