For many people summer is a much needed and well deserved shift in schedule and a break from routine. It can be a time of enjoying a slower pace, maybe trying new things and having a little more time for fun. This world is full of things we need to do for ourselves and others. Routines and busy schedules can be exhausting and frustrating and cumbersome. 

When I was young I loved the mornings that I spent with my grandparents doing the Christ in Our Home daily devotionals. For them it was as much a part of the day as having coffee. It was a way for them to welcome God into their lives each day in an intentional and loving way. I had good intentions of following their example in my daily life. I have missed the mark in that area. 

A daily routine of checking in with God as a part of my schedule is an ongoing goal and all too often one that I put in the ‘I’ll do it later’ pile. Putting God first isn’t easy. Some days I just don’t feel like hearing what God has to say. Some days I'm so disappointed in how people treat each other that I have no interest in giving time to the one who created those people. It is so easy to just sit in my own thoughts during down time or find something to distract me. I skip daily devotions and prayers even though I know that when I do start my day with them I feel much more grounded and stable and happy. The Bible has several verses that I believe connect with the topic of time with God as an important part of daily routine and rejuvenation. Here are a few. 

Isaiah 30:15 : “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God!”

1 Corinthians 6:19: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?”

We all deserve breaks from the routines and stresses of life, but God is not a stress or a routine. God is rest. God is life. Daily routine with God is as necessary and life-giving as daily food and water. God is seeking after all of us every day. Let us remember to find the joy and peace in being found.