With the fast-paced nature of the world we live in today, the only way for you to be consistent at anything is with discipline and prioritization. For instance, any relationship that’s worth your while would require, effort, attention, and sacrifice. Therefore if you want it to work, even when there are schedule changes, even when you’re tired, even when everything in the world is grappling for your attention you would put in the effort and make it a priority.

Let this mind be in you concerning your devotion, especially this year. The longest and most important relationship you’re ever going to be in, throughout all eternity, is not with your spouse or partner but with God. If you treasure those relationships, how much more your relationship with your creator.

This is not to say that the events happening around you or the possible reasons why your devotion may be on and off are not real or should be invalidated. We can all agree that sometimes, there are things beyond our human control that happen in life that hinder us from keeping the fire burning. Rapidly changing schedules, family obligations, tragedy even the guilt of inconsistency can drive us far away from the things of God.  But this was not so from the beginning.

Genesis 1:26–29

New King James Version

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.”

You can call Eden a perfect picture of God’s idea for mankind, where man was created in direct service and communion with God. That’s the structure we see in Genesis.

Mankind was made to function in reliance on his creator, in perfect communion with God. The connection to God, the service, the worship of God, it was never a struggle for man, it was an effortless activity.

Genesis 3:1–7

New King James Version

1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;

3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’

4 ” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.

5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

This is where the problem began. Mankind who knew only obedience and perfect communion has now fallen prey to the devil’s deception. Consequently, their disobedience brought about a separation from God and introduced sin into their very members. Their perfect nature had now been tainted by sin and thus the struggle to desire and attain that consistent, undisturbed devotion and communion with God emerged.

However, all hope was not lost

Look what the Bible says about you:

Ezekiel 36:26–27

New King James Version

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”

This was Ezekiel prophesying about what would happen to you at salvation. That once you believe the gospel you would receive a new spirit, God’s Spirit. You would have a new heart one with new desires, new propensities. So due to the fall, you may have lost that innate desire and longing for God that was present at the beginning. But now that you’ve received God’s Spirit, one of the ways he helps you is by giving you new desires.

Philippians 2:13

New King James Version

13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

Now God works in you to WILL and to do of his good pleasure. Meaning that by God’s  Spirit, you now desire to know God more, to spend more time with him in his word and in prayer, you desire to grow in your understanding of his will. You desire him more to the end that nothing can come in between you and your devotion to him. Because by His Spirit you have regained that original nature where you function in perfect communion with God. You don’t have to struggle anymore

No matter how fast things change in the world the one thing that will remain solid is your devotion, you won’t be on and off because God’s Spirit has changed your desires and now more than ever you can stay in prayer, in the word and in constant communion with God. God’s spirit has brought order to our devotion.

In this year and beyond there is order in our devotion. But this isn’t just a declaration to be made it is a reminder to give priority where it is due. Set those devotional goals, put those structures in place, and stick to them against all odds. And even when your schedule changes or “life” happens and your set structures are tampered with, because by His Spirit on your inside, you desire the things Of God more, you would go again and reset those structures to make sure that you aren’t ever having off days in your devotion.

Jesus, being our greatest example, showed us what it looks like to have order in devotion. Even amidst all his activities he kept in constant communion with God

Luke 5:15–16

New King James Version

15 However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.

16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.”

Luke 6:12

New King James Version 

12 “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”

Mark 1:35

New King James Version

35 “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”

So if you need to withdraw yourself from the crowd during the day, stay up a little later at night, or wake up a little earlier, take your cues from Jesus, and do not allow anything to get in the way of your devotion. Allow the working of the Spirit birth order in your devotion today.

Prayer Point:

Order has come to my devotion. It remains my ultimate priority, no matter where the tides take me I am strengthened by God’s Spirit to remain immovable in my devotion to God.