Have Passion

I could probably just write "ditto" to David's blog yesterday and that would pretty much sum it up.  Like David, my daily devotions aren't really daily.  I've gone through periods of some serious devotion where I do the Daily Office.  I hope and plan to do that for Lent this year.  It's a good discipline.

David used the analogy of his relationship with his wife yesterday.  I think that's better than the analogy I was thinking of but I'll share mine anyway.  I don't have the best eating habits.  I sort of grab food on the run.  It's not the best for my health or digestion.  My husband on the other hand is very disciplined.  He eats by the clock.  I eat when I can and when I'm hungry.

I don't eat breakfast until I am hungry which is usually 3-4 hours after I get up.  I've already drank a pot of coffee.  Often lunch and breakfast sort of merge together.  If I didn't have to fix supper for both of us, I may or may not eat it.  I might eat a late "lunch" at 4 p.m. and then a snack before bed.  Or I might not eat lunch and grab supper at 6 p.m.

My husband on the other hand has to have breakfast.  Usually it is oatmeal on week days and eggbeater omelets on the weekend.  He always eats lunch.  Supper time is pretty fixed at 6-6:30 p.m.  There is little divergence and when there is, he gets grouchy.

It's sort of the same with our daily devotions and spiritual discipline.  I am a lot like David.  My mind is on the Lord most of the time.  I often put on the music and worship.  When I get on my exercise bike, I jam with Jesus.  I might catch some prayer time in the car.  There's little order or discipline to my daily devotions.

My husband on the other hand gets up every morning and before that bowl of oatmeal, he spends about 20 minutes praying and reading.  NOTHING would stop him from this ritual.  It is downright annoying at times because there is no such thing as hurry up and let's go.  Poor man has to have a good hour and half to get ready in the morning.  It doesn't matter if we have to catch a plane and be at the airport at 4:30 a.m. or if we have a leisurely morning - he's going to pray and read before he does anything.

Sometimes I feel bad about my undisciplined ways.  I think I should be more disciplined.  I think I should be more like my husband.  Maybe it is a cop out or an excuse for laziness but it's just how I am.  I honestly think if more of us were honest, we'd tell each other that while we love the Lord and have constant communication with Him, we just aren't too good with the daily devotions.

I think it would be good to take the condemnation out of relationship with Jesus.  Relationship isn't always about rules and rituals.  If my very ritualistic husband were to tell me I had a half hour every morning for his attention and that was all I could have for the day, that wouldn't be much of a relationship.

If you are someone who is very disciplined in your devotions, please don't stop.  It's probably just how God made you to be.  But if you are like me and could use a little more discipline, worship and pray and read when you can, where you can, and as often as you can.  Pursue Jesus with passion without guilt.