Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day at the end of a long week, and 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 of 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. The Bible says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength,” so having a Joyful Heart is the Key to all things. 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 – I just need to Press on. Isn’t the mere thought of your Master Plan enough to excite you, too?

It’s pretty easy to think in shallow terms when it comes to this life, and it’s even easier to fall into the trap of routines if we aren’t careful. Routines can be good things, but when routines overshadow our ability to be spontaneous for the Lord, they’re nothing but a trap. It’s 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. I’ve known a few people (and a few churches) that would be rattled to the core if their routine was shaken because God had the nerve to “show up”. 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 happening. These people can easily excuse away their actions 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 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 in to 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 high price….and so will you.

Oh, I’ll take care of my responsibilities today, and I’ll be following a few routines too. But all the while I’ll be listening out for the voice of my God, and when He calls me into action, all bets are off. 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. I’ll drop what I’m doing, and I’ll 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 one second.

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? Do you have a schedule and shallow routines that prevent you from listening to God, and would your world turn upside down if you dropped it all for an unscheduled opportunity to Serve Him? IF so, we need to talk. We’ll have a long talk about what it means to know the Living God so well that you recognize His voice when He speaks, and how if you don’t tune in and make Him your priority, you’ll miss out on all that He has for you, and when I’m done with you, you won’t be wound-up tight or sticking God in a box until a more convenient time in your life either!

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