“Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.” Luke 1:1-4
Three times this past week I have been asked “Why aren’t you writing daily devotions anymore?” This morning I decided that maybe I ought to post an answer.
Because I have been selfish with my time.
My morning routine has changed dramatically this year because I was convinced the time had come to make some changes in my personal life. The time I used to spend writing in the morning got taken up with reading too much about the crazy things going on in our country, then walking, eating a very specific breakfast, and watching a silly TV show that I record so I can skip the commercials.
My prayer time was my walking time. Deciding not to write devotions freed me up from a sense of obligation and the pressure to get something posted before the daily deadline.
It was fun to share the thoughts of members of our congregation during the Easter season. I appreciated reading people sharing their faith with others. I came away from that experience expecting to begin writing again. But then I realized that vacation was coming up and I would be on the road for over two weeks which makes writing hard. So I didn’t start again.
I am very hopeful that, by the time I am back from my motorcycle trip, I will have reached a personal goal that I set last year. I am confident that my new morning rituals can be tweaked to include time to read scripture and offer my thoughts/reactions to you. So my intention is to begin writing again in July.
When that time comes, I trust that God will give me something interesting to say each day. That is how it has always worked. A simple willingness on my part is met by the Holy Spirit’s nudges and insights. It is scary and I can’t always feel a connection there but something always comes out that might be useful to someone somewhere. In that I feel honored to join those through the years who have used words to share the faith with others.
And if I don’t start writing, feel free to bug me about it until I do. We are, after all, in this together.
Let us pray: Gracious Lord, you are in, around, above, and below us. Wherever we go, we can’t flee from your presence…but we can forget. Thank you for those who share their faith using words and for the power of the Word to shape our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Daily Devotions 