Stick to that routine . . .

 

2 Chronicles 8; Habakkuk 3; Luke 22;  3 John

Today has me thinking about good habits. For some people, Covid-19 has made 2020 a year filled with boring sameness. Instead of social invitations, shopping trips, meetings, appointments, excursions, entertainment and so on taking spots on the calendar, many days are the same: rise, eat, catch up on the latest statistics, eat, read, nap, eat, watch TV, go to bed.

To me, a routine can be mindless and boring yet I find myself needing habits and routine. Busy days scramble me. Too many to-do items on my list give me jitters. There is something about habits and routine that settles anxiety but today’s readings go deeper than that. They show how steadfastness is connected to godliness.

The first line in the first reading is an ordinary report: “At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of the Lord and his own house, Solomon rebuilt the cities that Hiram had given to him and settled the people of Israel in them.” (2 Chronicles 8:1–2) However, the entire chapter is an account of this man’s methodical rebuilding, of putting things right, of turning shambles into order. Reading it reminded me at the very least that a little time and better habits could do wonders in my studio full of projects and often looks like an explosion in a fabric factory.

The next reading becomes immediately serious. The author knows that trouble is coming but he has developed a habit of trusting God and rejoicing in Him. His habit lifts him above the threat of the news he is hearing and gives him encouragement to face the day:

I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places . . . . (Habakkuk 3:16–19)

One life lesson: I must practice focus on the Lord in the good times because if I don’t, it will be difficult if not impossible in the hard times. If I run my own life in the ordinary days, this habit will interfere with handing over the controls to Jesus during trials. Habakkuk knew it too. His steadfast habit of taking joy in the God of his salvation was his strength when ordinary days turned to mush.

Luke 22 describes one of the last days of Jesus on earth. He celebrated Passover with His disciples, instituted the Lord’s Supper, dealt with a foolish argument about who is the greatest, foretold Peter’s denial, was betrayed by Judas and arrested, Peter denied Him, he was mocked and beaten and taken before the Council to be condemned. Did He have any ordinary days? Hardly! His to-do list was full and He set about His assignments by often rising early to pray or praying all night. The importance of this habit shows up in here:

And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:39–46)

Jesus demonstrated steadfast trust in His heavenly Father by continually going to Him in prayer. Ordinary men would seldom pray this way but He was not ordinary. One of the things that marked Him was His habitual obedience to the will of God — that paid off in the greatest crunch time anyone could experience.

APPLY: There is a line in 3 John that sums up these readings. It says, “For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 3–4) A habitual life of obedience gives joy to God, to others, even to me. I must not break away from good habits, not in ordinary days nor in those days of total chaos. Steadfastness is a gift from God meant to be unwrapped and regularly used.