It’s Friday—the first in 2025. Since there will be 52 weeks, and according to the year’s calendar, there will be 52 Fridays this year.
In all my years of working, despite having had to work many weekends, I’ve always looked to Friday as that clincher for the week’s progress. In the Bible, this is the last day of work before the Sabbath (Saturday).
Despite the current trends of making the weekend full of family, sporting, and outdoor events, I’ve reserved Saturday as “my day” to choose to do what I want, and Sunday is the Lord’s Day. Most of our focus is ending the week and starting the following week without fail.
But we’ve crowded God out of the typical schedule of decades and centuries of normality.
As with any other morning, I spent time reading, studying, following a schedule, and getting myself ready for Sunday. In other words, I make “God” part of every day.
Our focus is different for each of us. My morning routine starts with starting my day on the right foot. That’s my routine. But what if I needed to modify my schedule? What would my new routine look like?
Don’t Crowd God out of your day!
Jesus changed everyone’s focus. When his ministry began, you could feel it in his teaching style and reiteration of his future.
- He openly taught that he must first suffer and be rejected, killed, and risen before being broadly accepted. Peter rebuked him. “Get thee behind me, Satan! For you are not “mindful” of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Mark 8:33)
- Imagine hearing him say, “More wars… and even rumors of more wars…” Don’t be troubled. These things M-U-S-T happen before we even think about the end. (Mark 13:7)
- He said the “Good News” (gospel) must first be preached to all nations. (Mark 13:10) That’s the focus of the church. Take the Good News to the whole world.
- Jesus was the example of going where you did not feel welcome (Samaria – John 4).
- He even shows us the focus of his ministry was not just on his natural family. (Matthew 12:46-49)
- Regularly, Jesus slipped away from everyone and prayed. Sometimes, all night. Most often in the wilderness. (Luke 5:16)
You may argue that was His Mission and Goal, and we have our focus. Yes. True. He was God robed in the flesh. You can’t be just like Him, though we sing the old song, “To be like Jesus….” But the church’s call is to reach their world not just by spreading the Gospel (think electronic means) but also with teaching, which includes examples and daily Word.
Jesus said He was with them Daily (Mark 14:49). Acts 2 tells us the church continued Daily with one accord, breaking bread (communion), and enjoyed their community with gladness and “simplicity of heart.” (Acts 2:46)
What we are at church should be modeled in the home. I suspect that’s missing. Routine. God First. Start and end each day with God. Maybe start with modeling prayer.
This is what my thoughts are all about this morning. Keep it simple, but make it routine.
That’s precisely what David did when he faced Goliath. He rejected the King’s armor and weaponry. He chose the tools that he was trained on. And he won the battle. (1 Samuel 17) He focused on what he knew and used his focus to win.
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(Below, you may find other topics similar to this one. Please read on!)