Routine

Routine... A prescribed, detailed course of action to be followed regularly; a standard procedure.   Routine is a familiar and often welcome partner in this journey of life.  At every life stage there are routines that guide us, empowering action, measuring progress through the twists and turns of every day.  From the alarm clock`s persistent beep, to the route one takes to work, to that must-have cup of coffee and on and on, there are rituals that mark our days, months, and years that help us get things done.  That is routine at its best.

 

There is another dictionary definition of routine that shows a darker side of that which can become all too familiar...A set of customary and often mechanically performed procedures or activities.  Routine, by this definition, becomes a mindless, sometimes thoughtless repetition that loses its challenge.  In this context we might say we are going through the motions.  Yes, the task is done, but the enthusiasm, the investment of heart and mind are perhaps lacking.  We talk about someone in this context as being in a rut.  This slavish loyalty to routine can diminish one's effectiveness in many areas of life.  Mired in such mediocrity one can take things, even people for granted as faithfulness to routine trumps faithfulness to the quality of one's work and relationships.  Such mechanical performance manifests itself vocationally, personally, and yes, even spiritually.

 

The writer of the Old Testament book of Lamentations speaks of the mercies of God as being new every morning.  God spoke through the prophet Isaiah of desiring to do a new thing in the midst of well-worn routines.  Paul challenged the early church to recognize that faith in Christ was an exercise in newness, for in Christ, old things have passed away, behold all has been made new.  Truly, we see ritual and routine in the worship of God that connects us with the ancient traditions of our faith, but one cannot view the ministry of Jesus and not see that he called those who followed him to live lives of transformation, guided not by comfortable routine, but ever open to next-step living, guided by the Holy Spirit.

 

I fear that too many of us, myself included, live in the perceived safety of our routines.  It is much more comfortable to embrace the familiar than it is to step out and take risks.  "There is too much at stake," we may think to ourselves.  "There just isn't enough energy to try something new," we complain.  I understand that fear.  I also understand that our unwillingness to open ourselves to the possibilities of what God may have before us sets the stage for the kind of mechanically performed procedures or activities the dictionary definition prescribes. 

 

What do our routines say about us?  Most likely they communicate some good things about the way we get things done and our commitment to persons and things that are truly important to us.  And yet, an honest evaluation of these routines will most likely reveal a need to rediscover a fresh approach to relationships and commitments that may have become stale. This is a topic I will be exploring more and more in the coming days.  I hope you will join the dialogue with me.

 

Well, as I bring this Friday routine to a close, perhaps the encouragement of the writer of the book of Hebrews is appropriate for us to hear.  Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed, because we can trust God to do what he promised. (Hebrews 10:23, NCV)

 

Jim Abernathy