Today didn’t start like most days for me.
Most days, I’m up early and get to enjoy my Bible with my tea and journal and Him in the quiet while everyone’s still sleeping. You know…I get myself filled up for the day. Get my mind lined up with what He is saying. Get my focus in the right place…on Him.
But not today.
I didn’t sleep well last night, which led to me oversleeping. As soon as my feet hit the floor, I was running.
I had to get my son up and going for the youth conference today. We ate breakfast and ran out the door. While I was out, I just popped into the store to grab what I needed for baking today.
I came home to my other kids awake, so we started in on our Saturday morning chores. I put Alli’s hair in curlers to try a new hair style. Started the laundry.
Well, you get the picture.
I started to feel a little stressed – overwhelmed actually – and well, to be honest, I wasn’t quite as patient as usual. That’s when I realized….
Umm…..I think I missed something. I didn’t put first things first.
So I took a deep breath, got my focus back in the right place, took a little drink of the rivers of living water that are in me, and decided that even though first things weren’t first today…it was okay to put it seventh.
My peace is not dependent on my routine. “Well…I missed my quiet time this morning, so I’m going to have a horrible day!”
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
It doesn’t say, “Come to Me first thing in the morning or you’re tough out of luck! No peace or rest for you today!”
No! It says, “Come to Me.” Period. Whenever you can. As often as you can.
Relationship is not just a one-hour-in-the-morning-and-that’s-it-for-the-day kind of thing. If you did that in your marriage, it would suffer.
It’s an all day, every day, stay connected, keep-company-with-Me kind of thing that keeps us healthy and strong and vibrant.
I think it’s easier than we realize to put our faith in our routine. But that’s not where it belongs. It belongs in Him.
I love to read through the Psalms. David’s writings give us such an amazing glimpse into his relationship with God and what that looked like. He was definitely not stuck in a routine. He said things like:
- Early will I seek You.
- I will awaken the dawn.
- I will meditate on You in my bed in the watches of the night.
- All day long, Your praises will continually be in my mouth.
It’s good to have those regular, set-apart times with Him. But some days, routines may change or fly out the window all together. And on days like that, it’s good to know that He’s always there with His life and joy and peace.
The wells spring up and the rivers of living water are flowing when I get up and have my quiet time AND when routine flies out the window. And when first things move from first to seventh. Or eighth. Or last. (Better late than never.)
He never changes…He’s always there.