Routine matters

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What does the Lord your God really want from you? The Lord your God wants you to respect him and do what he says. He wants you to love him and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. So obey the laws and commands of the Lord that I am giving you today. These laws and commands are for your own good. (Deuteronomy 10:12-13)

I like it when scripture actually poses the question and then follows with a very clear answer. There is nothing vague about what God wants from us, is there? Love him! Give him your entire heart! Serve him from the heart! Put you entire being into your actions of obedience! Do what he says all the time, not just when it pleases us. Pretty plain instruction indeed.

How does one show respect for God? It begins by getting to know who he is and then it continues as we step out in obedience to the things he asks of us. It begins by listening - really paying close attention to his still small voice. As we recognize his power and his sovereign rule over all things on this earth, we soon begin to submit to his authority or leadership in our lives. We willingly allow him to lead us.

Respect for God involves what we do with our heart and our desires. Does our heart reflect we hold all the control or does it reveal an intense desire to let him control the direction of our day? The truth of who is in control is most evident when we look at what we do with our time and where it is we place our attention. If the majority of our time is "our own" without any attention being placed on him at all, we are likely in control.

The more we relinquish control, giving the first priority in our lives, the more we will realize an exchange of power - ours for his. We might still have very routine daily stuff to accomplish, but we do it with a different focus. We feel his presence and we see opportunities to be his hands and feet even in the routine. God is in the routine, not just the supernatural! He uses people doing routine things in his love and grace to actually change a hurting world. Respect him by being willing to allow him access even into the routine. You never know when God may turn the routine into the SUPER in our day. Just saying....

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