My little girl and I have a little ritual we have developed at bed time. When its time to brush her teeth we will walk into the bathroom and I pick her up and sit her on the counter. She picks out her tooth brush, turns on the water, wets the tooth brush and hands it to me. Then she picks out the tooth paste, takes off the top and hands it to me. I then hand it back and have to wait for her to put the top back on, which can take a good deal of time. I then brush her teeth, top and bottom. Next, she gets her turn to brush her teeth, rinse the brush, and give it back to me. And so goes our little teeth brushing ritual.

The thing is, if I vary from that little ritual something interesting happens; my little princess freaks. She will get remarkably bent out of shape at the slightest little variation. I have to say, the whole thing is cute, but also a little frustrating at times when I want to mix things up a little.

The other day we were going through this little ritual and I started thinking about how I tend to act this way with God. I tend to get into these little rhythms and rituals in how I relate to God and how I expect Him to relate to me, and then I get uncomfortable and even angry when He decides to mix it up a little.
But, its in mixing it up that He is able to do a work in me and through me. Because after all, the greatness of God in not expressed in rituals, but in His power over every situation in life.

My Utmost for His Highest from May 12th puts it this way:

Your god may be your little Christian habit— the habit of prayer or Bible reading at certain times of your day. Watch how your Father will upset your schedule if you begin to worship your habit instead of what the habit symbolizes. We say, “I can’t do that right now; this is my time alone with God.” No, this is your time alone with your habit. There is a quality that is still lacking in you. Identify your shortcoming and then look for opportunities to work into your life that missing quality.

Love means that there are no visible habits— that your habits are so immersed in the Lord that you practice them without realizing it.

HT: Pete Hixson