Sun. Church Trip 2

On my return trip from our Church's Easter service I rode in a van along with a couple of seminary guys and a really bright girl. As we rode I posed a question, more of an issue, really. It was something that had been troubling me for the past couple weeks or more. An acquaintance of mine had posted a dangerous declaration on his blog. He confessed to having abandoned the structure of devotions and that for the past 3 months he had quit devotions altogether and preferred a life of devotion for Christ. The traditional sense of devotions was transferred to whatever he could receive in the classrooms and daily chapels. The blog, I'll admit, offended me a little. Actually, offended is not the right word. It hurt me. Yes, it hurt me. I felt genuinely hurt. Not just because a friend had "recanted" from his devotions but because of the pride that seemed to be laced throughout his blog. His blog was just a bragging spree of how he'd given up the traditional devotional structure. That's great. I'm all for that. Break up the pattern if that works for you (it doesn't for me, but if it works for you then that's great). Basically my blogger friend was saying "Although I don't have my devotions anymore I still love God." But that seems to me to be the wrong focus entirely. It's not about me and what I can do for God. It's all about Him. One might rightly say, "Although I don't have my devotions God still loves me." That'd be true. And one might say what was said originally but then the love for God by someone who doesn't purposefully pursue time with Him comes into question. My dilemma is that I cannot judge, as I already have, what attitude my blogger friend is presenting. He might not be bragging at all. It might not be a pride, therefore sin, issue at all. But that is the impression that is conveyed to me, and it is not one that I want to slam on legalistically. That's not the point. Well, I talked to my travelling companions and we came up with the conclusions that though the idea of devotions (Bible reading) may not be an official Biblical decree it is a discipline we as Christians must adopt. It is not only the matter of a "must do" in the sense of responsibility. It is also a privilege. It's is equally a "must do" and a "get to do" matter. Throughout history more men have bled over this book than over any other. It is a precious book, valuable in ways that transcend monetary cheapness. It is God's voice descending to man, opening up to let us hear His own breath. To go through life taking processed meals will never strengthen you. Eating the already chewed meals presented by teachers and preachers is delicious but it is not the only way of enjoying a meal. One must learn to eat on one's own, even cook (exegete or study) on one's own. God, as a Father, took the time to talk with us and though He loves us and we say we love Him we prefer to hear from Him second-hand. That's not right.