I get up very early for my commute to work, so it is necessary to have a daily routine for getting ready each morning. This allows me to sleep as late as I can and still make it out the door in time without forgetting anything. Any change in that routine has the potential to delay me in getting out the door and set off a chain reaction that could ruin my day.
Without providing the boring details, I have an exact order that I follow in taking care of my shave, shower, and other needs. My next stop is the kitchen, where I load my food carrier with breakfast, lunch, and snacks for the day. Then I head for the car and hit the road.
If my wife happens to get up early and wants to help me get out the door, I enjoy the brief conversation with her and the assistance, but it actually serves to interrupt my routine and I often skip a step or two and forget something. I may get out the door a little faster, but it will inevitably change the order of my routine and it throws me off. But honestly, I treasure seeing her in the morning and it is a welcome interruption of my routine.
In thinking through this morning routine process, I realize that I have a number of routines that I have formulated throughout the years. A number of processes within my morning routine seem to carry over into my weekend as well. I have a routine I follow each night before going to bed. Sometimes my prayers are even routine, but not in a good way. While it’s great to have prayer time built into your routine, it’s not so good to have routine prayers that are exactly the same every time.
It’s fine to cover many of the same topics, such as prayer for your family and friends every day. But prayer needs and requests change constantly and our prayers should reflect that. God wants to hear about current things and future things, including all of your cares and concerns. He already knows it all, but he loves to hear it all pour out from your heart to his ears. So, let prayer be a part of your routine, but don’t let your prayers become routine!
Psalms 141:2 (NLT) - “Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering.”