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I am a person of many routines. Almost every day I get up before 6am and walk our dog, Pablo. He is a precious gift from God. He is so gentle and kind and he truly loves all. He is also getting old. (I think we all are getting old) He is over 14 years old and in doggy years that is a lot. The hot weather that we have had lately is hard on him and I have not walked him as far as normal. But each day we are out there and finding out that we are not the only ones who have a routine. We ‘run’ into some of the same people and dogs every day. In fact if I miss a day because of being out of town someone will ask me where I have been. I guess routines are both good and bad. They do help life go smoothly. After all I don’t have to think much about what I am going to do first thing in the morning. But they can also stop us from seeing new vistas. I speak from experience when I say routines can get us struck in a rut.
With all of that said it should be no surprise that I have routines in my relationship with God. I read the Bible at a certain time of day. I have a pattern of prayer that I follow. I even fall into patterns of worship and dare I say even in preaching. That is not all bad. It helps me be a person of discipline. But I need to be careful that I keep my eyes open for new ways and new thoughts. So, in the days ahead I am looking around more and wondering where God is really speaking to me.
Yesterday I preached a sermon on loving others. Yesterday was also a day I had persons put me to the test of loving. It was not that they were being mean or were even in the wrong. They simply had concerns. But my attitude needed to be more loving. There are times I find it easier to preach a sermon than to live one. So, there are times I have to ask God to help me see myself honestly. At such times I pray my own personal prayer of confession and seek God’s forgiveness. I also have to chart a new path and one that is more like the path Jesus walked.
Tonight as I write these words I am thankful for those times when I have felt God bringing conviction on my life and showing me I need to live more Christ-like. So, I am going to continue to ask God to work in my life and lead me on to being more like Him.
This week the temperatures outside have been extremely high and the humidity has been up there too. I find the heat to be oppressive. I am one of those persons who prefers cooler weather. I seem to get more done in the winter than the summer. I could be wrong but I think that my dog has the same view. But what stands out to me is how much weather talk there is around me. People seem to have questions about the weather. Is it going to rain today? When will it cool down? I think you get the idea. What is really strange is that we have to accept the weather that comes our way. We do not control it. We can hide out in our air conditioned homes and offices but we cannot stop the heat wave from coming our way. We may not like it but it is beyond our control.
Like the weather much of life is beyond our control. We cannot make others behave in ways we think they should behave. We cannot stop some of the circumstances that come our way. In many ways we are helpless. Of course we don’t want to admit such things. After all we are adults who make things happen. But down deep we know that we live in a world where we have limited power and influence. One of the great features of this thought is that I am learning to trust God and let Him take care of those various parts of my life that are like the weather beyond my control. After all God is the author and sustainer of life itself. So, today rejoice life is not in your hands but in the capable hands of GOD.