A Rule of Life

I went to a church women’s meeting, and the speaker told us how nature is orderly by design. The seasons, the intricacy of a spider web, even our human bodies all have order and a set pattern. If we are to truly fit into God’s will, we need to be orderly as well. I am not taking about white glove tests to make sure we dust and vacuum each day, but an inward orderliness – a routine in which we center our lives around Christ.

When I was a young working mom I lived by routine. It was the only way I could thrive. However, I often found I didn’t have time to squeeze enough God-time into my hectic 18 hour day. I finally figured out the hour commute each way would be that time. That’s when I tuned into Christian music, prayed, and sometimes at the end of stressful day,  just listened in silence with the car’s AC softly droning. It made the work day easier to handle, and by the time I got home, I was ready to handle whatever else met me when I opened the door.

As my son got older, began to drive and have his own schedule, I lost some of my routine. I gained it back out of necessity when I became self-employed and started to work out of the home. Otherwise every little thing would have distracted me. I had to set strict boundaries between work time and other times – less I not get anything done, or just the opposite,  sit at my desk staring at the monitor and clicking away at the keys for 15 hours a day.

The speaker told us about the importance of establishing a rule of order so we have regular daily time with God to pray and study His Word.  It is the best way to live a vigorous life, not just dragging through each day.

• She revealed that when people have a rule of order in their lives several things happen-
• They are rooted in Christ so when the stress hits, they are not toppled by it.
• Faith becomes a higher priority in their lives.
• Itprovides an assurance in times of spiritual dryness – like a camel, there is a reserve of the Living Water stored up.
• It develops a desire to fellowship with other Christians on a regular basis because we realize we cannot do it all on our own.
• The person is more God-centered than me-centered.

Do you feel as if life is swirling around you? Are you on a merry-go-round that you cannot control? Do you feel scattered and easily distracted? Are you tossed by emotions?  Then consider establishing a regulated, orderly time with God each day.  Martin Luther once said that he had so much to do he had better start by taking time out to pray.  When we center our day in Christ, the rest of it comes together at a pace He sets, not what the world demands.

Trust me, once you start, the distractions will bombard you at a Blitzkrieg. The last thing the evil one wants is for you to spend quality time with God. Repel them in the name of Jesus and stick to it.

Teach your kids  (and pets- they like routine as well!) that your time alone with God is of the utmost importance. It is a good lesson for them to learn. One woman said that one day when she was really stressed out,  her young son asked her if she need more “God time out”? She was stopped in her tracks. That was exactly what was missing from her day – she had shortened that time alone with her Master in an effort to get everything else done.

It takes 30-60 days to form a good habit.  Advent begins Dec 2nd. In the early church it was a time of reflection and preparation of the coming of Christ. Why not make your Advent start a little earlier? You may just see the holidays are not as stressful this year.