Tune-Up

So today I had a random but well-timed meeting with one of my 50,000 coaches, Dick Speight.  We had a great time at the world’s greatest fast-food restaraunt (how could you not?) and caught up with what was going on in each others’ lives.  As I was sharing, though, I became very clearly aware that I have avoided some much-needed maintenance on my spiritual life.

A random tune-up picture from Flickr, not covered by copyright.

Let’s be clear about one thing-I’m not happy about this.  There are probably a ton of reasons why I’m not happy about this but here’s two good ones to start.  First, I thought I was doing better than this.  There have been times in my life where my disciplines were right on and people could feel the affect of my time in secret with the Lord.  Lately that has not been the case.  Because I lack time in the secret place, I have nothing to give when I’m in the world.  No one knows I’ve been with Jesus and I’m not content to live that way.

The other real bummer is that I hate maintenance.  I’m not good with it.  I love to start things.  I love to improve things.  I love to resurrect things from the dead.  But I’m not very good at routine maintenance.  I typically just don’t have the focus and the stamina to stick with a routine that I have mastered.  My length at any one position in my job is directly related to the amount of time it takes me to understand the position. Then I move on. To be clear, this has not happened with God in any stretch of the imagination, it’s just that I want to be further along my walk than continually retooling my devotional life.

So, its time to take some time and get under the hood of this car I call my life in God and see where the kinks are.  Mostly this will look like me scheduling in time on my calendar where I cannot be bothered distracted.  I’m needing to find time to get some communion in with God and get some vision about where my family, the church I belong to, and my life are all going.  Pray for me as I start out on this journey…it will mean some definite changes for me and for us as a family.  Pray that I’m able to stick to a routine that doesn’t become routine…a continual encounter and drawing away with God that propels me into the harvest field.  Pray also for grace for my family to help me in this.  I won’t blog a ton about what’s going on, it is still the secret place after all…but who knows?  Maybe God will give me something sometime.  Who knows whats under that hood anyways?