The Routine of Routine
Now, 10 days into the New Year, most have finally returned to some form of normality. The hustle of the holidays has passed as we are forced to live within some sort of routine. While some people see routine as boring and laborious, this view is not necessarily correct.
There are some areas of our life that benefit greatly from routine. Think about it. We groom ourselves with routine. From the brushing of the teeth to the combing of the hair, these routines have (hopefully) become the regular habit of your life. You know the result of these routines has produced good.
Most often the benefit derived from the routine is present without your knowledge. In other words, the benefits of your routines are having a positive impact on you even though you are going through the motions without any regards for what you are doing. The acts of brushing your teeth, bathing, combing your hair, shaving your face, etc have now simply become habit. The positive results of these things are present although you may not even notice. If you want to notice these positive things in your life, just stop doing them for a few days. How quickly the marks of neglect will show up!
In a very practical way, the routine of reading Scripture and praying has a deeply positive impact on our lives. When we set aside time each day to read and meditate upon the scripture we will develop a routine that is eternally beneficial. As a regular part of our meditation upon the Word of God we should pray and ask God for His leadership and guidance too. This routine will plant, deep in our soul, the Word of God, which will prove to be our shield and sword for the day (and days) to come.
Too many people begin this process with too lofty a goal such as reading the entire Bible through in a year. While this might be one approach, I would suggest that you simply commit to reading the Bible every day. Do not get caught up in the race, but rather enjoy the journey. I can tell you, setting aside time each day for reading the Word of God will bless you in wonderful ways. May this become a routine in your life that brings benefits forever.