“42And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. …” (Acts 2:42–47)
Routines are beneficial for being devoted in our walk with Christ. It seems that being good at anything requires a routine. Tonight is the 7th game of the World Series, and players will be nervous and will revert to their routines to get ready for the game. The opportunity to achieve greatness in this game requires a devotion to their craft and their routine is necessary way they prepare to play.
Celestine Chua says that “A routine is a set of activities that you repeat every day, week or, month that gives your life a semblance of structure, so you don’t have to wake up every day wondering what to do. In that sense, it simplifies life and gives you stability.”
Rather than striving for “sameness”, the objective of a routine is really progress — to help you get the best out of daily life, by virtue of following it. Routines help you not waste time in planning to meet basic needs of your life as well as helps you achieve their more difficult goals you have. I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who once said that “your net worth to the world is usually determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted from your good ones.” Actively and consciously building a daily routine for yourself instills plenty of good habits.
The early church new that their devotion to Christ necessitated good spiritual habits. In order to grow spiritually during times of temptation, trial, and tribulation the routine of gathering and meeting together was necessary. They developed daily routines where they would gather at the temple to support their devotion to Christ by learning, fellowshiping, praying, and remembering Christ’s sacrifice for them. Like any good spiritual routine, their devotion to each other help them practice spending time with God, helping others, as well as forgiving and encouraging one another. What are some routines that you can place in your life that will help you become more devoted to Christ?
Pastor Glenn