We all know the value of good routines. They bring order, discipline, and a sense of peace to our lives. I live my life structured with healthy routines. Whether it’s daily exercise, morning prayer, or time in God’s Word, healthy routines help keep us anchored. But sometimes, even the best routines can quietly shift from being a spiritual rhythm to a mindless pattern. When that happens, our time with the Lord can lose its living warmth and instead become one more habit or routine we mindlessly do!
The Lord spoke through Isaiah, saying, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” (Isaiah 29:13 NIV) It’s a sobering reminder that God isn’t impressed by consistency alone—He desires connection. Our routines are meant to keep us close to Him, not to fill an obligation or spiritual duty. God desires genuine fellowship.
When David said, “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.” (Psalm 27:4 NIV,) he wasn’t talking about routine. He was talking about relationship. His heart wasn’t satisfied with reading a few verses or saying a few prayers. He longed to dwell in God’s presence—to know Him, to learn His wisdom and grow in faith and courage, and to feel His nearness, and to walk away changed.
That’s what I want too. I want the rhythm of my quiet time to be like breathing—steady and faithful—but filled with awareness of His presence. I want to pause when I sense His whisper, linger when He stirs my heart, and let His Word read me, not just the other way around.
Jesus warned, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on… They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.” (Matthew 6:7 NLT) In other words, it’s not about the number of verses read or minutes clocked in prayer—it’s about the quality of communion.
When I begin to feel my time with the Lord drifting into a lifeless routine, I pause and pray, “Lord, awaken my heart again. Help me to see You fresh today.” The Holy Spirit loves that prayer. He responds by renewing joy, sharpening focus, and restoring that sense of awe in God’s presence.
So, yes, let’s keep our healthy routines. But let’s never let them replace the sacred wonder of being with and experiencing our Heavenly Father. Be still before Him. Worship Him. Thank Him for the gift of Heaven and all He has done for you! Let His Word speak personally to your heart. And be reminded of His Words to you: "But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." Jeremiah 31:33 (NLT)
The Lord desires not a pattern, but a presence—yours and His, together.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for meeting with me daily. Help me to never take that time for granted or let it become mechanical. Stir my heart to delight in You, to listen for Your voice, and to walk in Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
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