Years ago I heard a conference speaker repeat a line attributed to C.S. Lewis who described his father as “a man wed to a dull routine.”  I was young at the time and remember thinking that being a man wed to a dull routine was something to be avoided; not something I would want said about me.

I am afraid I have become a person wed to a dull routine.  It’s not all bad.

Tuesday afternoon as I walked across the icy parking lot toward my car, I felt a cold and wet sensation on the bottom of my foot. My shoe had sprung a leak.  A crack in the sole; ice water seeping through. I had thought that pair of shoes might last a few more miles, but suddenly it appeared as if it was time for a replacement pair.  I knew exactly what to do, for I am a man wed to a dull routine.

Dockers Gordon Oxford, Cordovan, 11.5M. I ordered online and the new shoes arrived yesterday. Malls avoided, decision made, the new pair ought to be good for a long while. They always are. I should know. The new pair is probably my seventh or eighth pair of Dockers Gordon Oxford, Cordovan, 11.5M.

The same old shoes. Nothing different in years. Predictable. Safe. Undoubtedly out of fashion. But no malls, decision made, and free shipping. I’ll take my dull routine.

But are all routines dull, and even if so, should they be avoided?  Maybe not.

What defense are we able to mount for routines dull or otherwise?  Might as well play the Jesus card from the outset.

The word “routine” does not appear in Scripture, but a little word translated as “custom” or “habit” does.  Luke, recording the events of Jesus’ last night, tells us, “And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him” (Luke 22:39). Jesus routinely went to the Mount of Olives, there to pray. The routine of prayer is not a bad routine. Frankly, the routine of prayer grows sometimes dull. But it is never regretted.

The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews cautions his readers not to neglect meeting together, “as is the habit of some, but to encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25). Meeting together for encouragement is a good habit, a part of a healthy routine. Frankly some church gatherings are dull, but the routine of meeting together will never be regretted.

Stealing away to quiet place for prayer and meeting together for encouragement are good habits, worthy customs, part of wonderful routine. What might you add to the list?  Do you have a routine, a habit, custom, a discipline as some say, that helps nurture your Christian life? (Let me, know; I’d love to hear.)

Yes, a routine may grow dull from time to time, but it’s not a routine unless it is kept.

I shouldn’t have to worry about a new pair of shoes for a good long time. But I’m pretty sure next time I’m in the market I’ll go for Dockers Gordon Oxford, Cordovan, 11.5M. No mall, free shipping, and decision made.

Dull or not, a routine can be a good thing.

See you Sunday