Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day of a new week and already God has put a new song in my heart – a song of Praise, a song of Thanksgiving, a song of hope, and a song of EXCITEMENT for His Plans for my Life today and beyond. I’m not sure how anybody endures this Journey called “Life” without a similar song in their own heart, and I feel sorry for all of my friends of Faith who lack Excitement as they pass through this life. I KNOW that I have a Purpose much bigger than anything I can wrap my head around, and I don’t need step-by-step Instructions to be willing to keep moving toward the goal. Don’t you get excited about the Master Plan designed just for you too?

It can be so easy to fall into thinking in shallow terms when it comes to this life, and it’s even easier to fall into to the trap of routines if we aren’t careful. When we allow ourselves to fall into the trap of routines in any relationship, with no room for spontaneity, the relationship begins to die without us even realizing it. What’s true for relationships is true for our Journey of Faith too because our journey IS a Relationship with the God of all Creation! It’s only when we Determine to keep our eyes and our Hearts Fixed on the Excitement of the Future as we live out His Plan that all of those shallow and routine things seem to be a whole lot less significant to us in the end. This is the Key to hearing from God!

I’ve known a few people (and a lot of churches) that would be rattled to the core if their routine was shaken because God had the nerve to “show up” unannounced. If the Holy Spirit moved in their church and delayed their visit to the all-you-can-eat buffet line, there would be “a price to pay” on Monday, that’s for sure. They aren’t prepared to let Him “Work” whenever He’s ready to Work, and if He isn’t on the schedule it ain’t happen’. These people can easily excuse away their response to the Interruptions by defending the need for “law and order” or by preaching about time and responsibilities, but they stay so focused on their need for schedule and their fixation on the routine that they wouldn’t recognize a visit from the Master if He hit them over the head.

Sometimes I wonder if these people are reading the same Instruction Manual that I read, or if they are just inclined to consider it to be more of a history book filled with things of the past than one filled with Life that still applies today. You don’t have to read too far into my Instruction Manual to see that when God “showed up” He didn’t sit around and wait until He could be squeezed into the schedule. Instead, people Responded to Him at the most inconvenient times and their Blessings were immeasurable because of it. But those who chose to ignore Him instead paid a big price….and so will you.

Oh, I’ll take care of my responsibilities today and I’ll be following a few routines too. But more than anything I’ll be listening out for the voice of my God and not the voice of my calendar. When God comes calling everything else pales in comparison in my book. I’ll get busy doing the Work of the One I Love the most without a worry at all about all of those shallow, routine things getting done because when I Obey Him somehow there’s plenty of time and energy within the day to do it all. If He brings a suffering soul my way today, I won’t make them wait until a more convenient time when I’m not so busy. If He makes room for a conversation with someone trying to figure out Life, I won’t hesitate to squeeze them in and I’ll drop what I’m doing and get busy doing the work of my Master. If He calls for me to speak up and to Share my Faith with a lost person today, I won’t make excuses for why it isn’t a good time or place to do the sharing. Whatever He calls for me to do today I pray that I’ll do it without reservation, and I pray that those shallow, routine things don’t blind me to His Plans for me on this new day of a new week.

I’m filled with love for the Love of my life today and I’m very excited about what He might have me do in His Name. When He “shows up” I’ll drop everything else to serve Him, and I know that all of the other things on my plate will be managed with Heavenly efficiency because of it.

How about you?