Routinization

 

Routinization.

I wasn't sure if that was even a word. Surprisingly, it is and not surprisingly, it means "the state of becoming routine."

Routines are good. They help us feel safe and in control. This is especially true for children. We are all creatures of habit by nature. Need to be convinced? 

What pew do you sit in every Sunday? Where do you put your keys, coat, purse, etc. when you come home?  Does your family all sit in the same place at the dinner table?

Like I said, routines can be a good thing. However, they can also lead to some bad habits. A second definition of routine is "a boring state or situation in which things are always done the same way."

Routines in our spiritual life is one area where it can become dangerous. When we learn how but forget why. Routinization. 

We do it in our worship at times. Have you ever sung the words of a familiar song but didn't really think about what you were singing?  Have you ever read or recited a familiar scripture without truly ingesting the full meaning? And what about your prayer life? Ever find yourself saying basically the same thing? Imagine if your spouse said the same thing to you every day in exactly the same way. You might eventually stop listening or at least begin to think he or she doesn't really mean what they are saying.

I'm not saying we can't sit in the same pew on Sundays or that God won't listen to our prayers if we say the same thing. It's more about us then it is about God's response. Is my worship from my heart or just from my mouth? 

Over and over in the Bible we are told to "sing a new song." Psalm 33:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1 just to name a few. God wants our worship to be fresh and meaningful, not stale and routine. 

Something to think about, huh. 

Of Sheep and Shepherds

We tend to think of sheep as one of the dumbest animals. However, if you look it up, sheep are not actually included in the top ten. (Yes, I looked it up. Which proves you can find just about anything on the internet.) 

Here are some more interesting facts about sheep and shepherds, whether you care to know or not...

Some shepherds would count their flocks every night to be sure they were all there but often times the shepherd didn't need to count them. As they would herd them into the fold, the shepherd was able to "feel" the absence of even one of his sheep. The appearance of the flock would be "off." Many shepherds named their sheep and would call them all by name. 

The sheep became to know the shepherd's voice and would come when they just called out. Smaller herds would sometimes join together at night in the fold. Then in the morning, each shepherd would call their own sheep out of the fold. Imagine hundreds of sheep milling around but only those that belonged to that particular shepherd would come out. They knew their master's voice and trusted him to lead them safely.

The scriptures mention sheep and shepherds more than 600 times in the Bible. The use of this topic was so common because not only were the people of that time able to relate to it but it also gave (and still gives us) a perfect picture of how the Lord wants us to respond to His voice.

"Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep...."I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved."  John 10:7-8

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." John 10:14

We are to know His voice as completely as the sheep know their master's voice. So how do we do that?

It's all about relationship. Think about all the people you would know just by their voice. Why do you not have to see them to recognize who it is? Because you have a relationship with them. You've spent time with them. You've talked with them extensively. 

Sounds like what we're called to do in our relationship with Jesus, right? I guess the internet was correct in their assessment of sheep and their intelligence. Let's be like sheep and follow our shepherd wherever He leads. 

> Trials = > Faith

 Yes,  I know the title is not proper math but if you follow my thought process, it might make some sense.

When there have been trials come into my life, I find myself waiting and wishing for things to get back to "normal." However, God's view of trials is much different. 

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.." James 1:2

This verse tends to strike us as a pie-in-the-sky, fantasy island kind of an attitude. After all, what does James know about my trials? If he knew, what I have to put up with, this should read more like, "Consider it pure inconvenience/frustration/pain/annoyance whenever you face trials of many kinds."  Right??

Let's take a look at James, the brother of Jesus. 

James was a leader in Jerusalem  He lead the church for 30 years during which the Jesus followers were "a community in crisis." They were persecuted and impoverished. This was the group of people James was in charge of.  I believe he knew a thing or two about trials. Despite all of this, he penned this second verse, the one we really don't want to accept. 

Trials expose the authenticity of our faith. When we face trials, we discover immediately something about our faith. What we truly believe becomes abundantly clear by our responses and reactions. 

"When circumstances deteriorate, artificial, counterfeit and what's-in-it-for-me faith deteriorates right along with it." Max Lucado

The good news is that there can be joy in discovering how real our faith really is. When we face trials, we will discover something about our faith and about God. Trials automatically exercise our faith. 

Faith is not how we get God to do stuff. It isn't a superpower. Faith is the confidence that God will do everything He promised. Faith demonstrates and produces something. 

Perseverance. 

But in order for perseverance to be a benefit, we must allow it to finish its work. We can't leave early or stop believing. The one thing that we want removed may be the one thing God has chosen to use. The tension in our lives may be the epicenter of God's activity. 

Trials are never fun or easy but they do have a purpose. Instead of praying for the trial to end and things to be normal again, what might happen if we prayed for the trial to change us to be more Christ-like? God can use great trials to grow great faith if we change our perspective and surrender to His will.