Daily habits at times can seem to be a pointless routine, a of rut of drudgery that we fall into. But this morning I was struck by how thankful I am that I have some daily spiritual habits that have become a part of my life and that they have been for my good.

Some of us just like spontaneity. We’re skeptical of almost any established thing and we just want to kick over the traditions and have a really good cleansing revolution! But then many find that it’s a whole lot easier to be opposed to something and to find fault than it is to really find something truly better. And then, next, to steadfastly go that better way, building up a better life, a better structure and better system than the one we so vehemently originally opposed.

And often it can start with person daily habits. When we were kids, if we had good parents, they taught us such simple things as brushing our teeth, taking a bath, looking both ways before crossing the street, tiny little seemingly insignificant things. But often it’s those habits that make up our lives for the most part and the importance of little things done daily is so often a theme in the Bible.

For me, having daily devotions is a fundamental part of my life. Spending decades on the mission field, working closely with other Christian disciples, you just find that it’s essential to start the day off with prayer, devotion and some time in God’s Word. And now, although I’m not working as closely as I did with others years ago, I still just don’t have a day go by without a time of morning devotions.

I have music that I listen to, songs of faith, that help me start the day. Then, after breakfast, I have several devotional books that have readings for each day of the year that I go through. I have two of the books from “Streams in the Desert” by Mrs. Cowman which have been such a blessing. I read daily from A. B. Simpson’s “Days of Heaven on Earth”. I listen to Spurgen’s “Morning and Evening” thoughts. And a highpoint for me has been to listen to readings of J. C. Ryle’s thoughts on the gospel of Luke.

After this devotion time is finished, I go out to the extended back yard we have on this property on the countryside and take some time in prayer and getting quiet and pouring out my heart before the Lord. Several of the blog articles I’ve written came from thoughts that came to me during this time out in the back. “Green Leaves Hanging On” and “Cardinals in the Winter” are two like that.

And actually, when you read the Bible, you find that this experience of daily habits that the Lord wants us to have has been a constant for thousands of years. Daniel was accustomed to praying 3 times a day and this is what his adversaries used to accuse him to the king of Persia that he was worshiping contrary to the King’s decrees. Of course the whole Law of Moses was full of edicts and guidelines on how the Jews should worship God, in the temple as well as in almost every aspect of their lives.

Can it all turn into tradition and meaningless formalism? It certainly can and sadly often does. The Bible and history is full of that happening. But what’s probably even worse is that, repulsed by empty traditions, many people commit an even greater sin. They “throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

They root out the wheat with the tares, to use the analogy that Jesus shared. Yes, of course: empty, meaningless tradition and formalism is nothing but husks in our teeth. But often there originally were sustaining, invigorating eternal truths that were the basis of the traditions and habits that once had such significance.

So we’ve to come full circle to the beginning again. For me, I have a daily routine that has been good for me. I have daily devotions. I have time in God’s Word. I even review around 40 Bible verses every day of the large number of ones I memorized in my first few years as a Christian. I sing songs of dedication and love for the Lord. I go out in nature and take time with the Lord, probably not very differently from what Isaac did nearly 4000 years ago when he “went out into the field to meditate at eventide.” (Genesis 24:63)

And I hope you have some healthy, sustaining daily habits. We have to not just take care of ourselves physically but we have to cultivate healthy, Godly daily habits as the Lord has been leading His people to do since the beginning. God help us all to not through the baby out with the bathwater. May He help us to maintain Godly “traditions” and routines which keep us on the straight and narrow path of life and His will.