Stuck in a Rut

We get up in the morning and we go about our daily routine, not even thinking about it.  We go to work at the same place, go to lunch with the same people and we collect the same paycheck all on a set schedule.  We go to the same places for vacation, not because we are thrilled about going, but because it is familiar and we know what we will encounter.  We are a creature of habit, and the same thing applies when it comes to our worship of our God.  We want what we have had because it is familiar.  We look for the routine so that we can become “stuck in a rut.” 

The author A.W. Tozer has this to say about the life of the church.  “The treacherous enemy facing the church of Jesus Christ today is the dictatorship of the routine, when the routine becomes "lord" in the life of the church. Programs are organized and the prevailing conditions are accepted as normal. Anyone can predict next Sunday's service and what will happen. This seems to be the most deadly threat in the church today. When we come to the place where everything can be predicted and nobody expects anything unusual from God, we are in a rut. The routine dictates, and we can tell not only what will happen next Sunday, but what will occur next month and, if things do not improve, what will take place next year. Then we have reached the place where what has been determines what is, and what is determines what will be.” 

When we become complacent and expect nothing more from our worship of our God, we make Him smaller in our world.  It becomes easy for our God to give us what we want because we are not looking for more.  We belittle our God when we do not give Him the place of supremacy in our lives, looking for nothing more than what we have, or what we experienced in worship last week.  This can change, but only if we are willing to give God the glory and praise He deserves.

“So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.  But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,  for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”  1 Peter 1:19-21(NASB)

We need to avoid the obvious ruts in the road and look more to the “lamp shining in a dark place.”  We need to make sure that regardless of what we are doing, or who we are doing it for, that we do it giving all of the praise and glory to our God.  We need to make a concerted effort, even in the mundane, routine aspects of our lives, to praise God for the opportunity to complete the mundane, routine task.  We need to avoid the ruts in order to remain free of impediments to our worship of our Lord and Savior. 

The next time you feel like you are “stuck in a rut” praise God for His ability to pull you out of the ditch.

“in the world, not of the world”