Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord. (Genesis 19:27, New International Version)
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35, New International Version)
Theme: The Wisdom of Discipline
Title: Discipline and Daily Devotion
Reflection:
Discipline and schedules often go hand in hand. Flexibility in scheduling certainly has its place where spiritual devotion is concerned. We do not want to glorify schedules. However, the Holy Spirit has given us the tools of routines and schedules. As reflected in our Scripture passages today, there is value in designating certain times of the day for communication with God. There are two popular quotes that emphasize the importance of schedules: 1) “What doesn’t get scheduled, doesn’t get done.” 2) “You can tell a person’s priorities by examining their spending accounts, their address book, and their calendar.”
Both the Old and New Testaments capture the value of schedules. The Old Testament captures a prayer practice based on routine that is still employed in Judaism. Prayers are performed three times daily: morning-Shacharit, afternoon- Mincha, and evening- Maariv. In the Book of Psalms, there is a reference to David praying 3 times a day (Psalm 55:17). The same is true for Daniel (Daniel 6:10). Shacharit comes from shachar a Hebrew word which means dawn. And our passage from Genesis captures this.
In the New Testament, Jesus woke early to find a quiet place to talk to His Father. Abraham did the same centuries earlier. Like Jesus, many believers today practice the discipline of early morning “devotions” because it sets the stage for the day and symbolizes putting God first. Of course, we have the liberty to communicate with God whenever it is optimal to do so.
Conclusion:
Schedules and flexibility are both tools that the Holy Spirit makes available for our spiritual devotions. However, without the discipline of a routine/schedule often there is no time spent with God. Consider the practice of praying 3 times a day for the rest of Lent. You may find it helpful to meditate on specific verses during each session. For example, I have used the following Scripture passages in the past: morning (Numbers 6:24-26); afternoon (Psalm 105:4); and evening (Psalm 121:4).
Do you find a schedule for daily devotions helpful? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Contributor: Bridget Jeffries