Something I’ve been thinking about lately is that spontaneity isn’t extra spiritual. Why do we think that? Why do we think it’s more spiritual to say, “I’ll pray for you as God brings you to mind” instead of just saying “I’ll pray for you,” then setting reminders on our phone to pray for someone? We don’t go to bed at night and pray, “God, wake me up for work tomorrow if it’s your will.” We set an alarm. So why do we think it’s unspiritual to set an alarm as a reminder to pray for someone at a certain time?
I think we’re hesitant to schedule spiritual things because we’ve been taught an incorrect definition of legalism.
Legalism is NOT when you create a to-do list or when you cross things off a checklist.
[Note: What I’m not saying is that checklists make you more right with God.]
The legalism that Jesus condemned was adding extra to what God had said. You can see that in the New Testament from all the examples where Jesus condemned the Pharisees. Legalism is adding things to Scripture that Jesus never said; it’s not setting schedules and making to-do lists for things the Bible has encouraged us to do as believers.
Did God say pray for one another? Yes.
Did he say meditate on my words day and night? Yes.
Did he say lay down your life? Yes.
Did he say for the older to teach the younger? Yes.
Did he say to care for the people of the church? Yes.
Did he say to encourage one another? Yes.
Then however you get your mind to remember those things isn’t legalism because it’s not adding anything extra.
Let’s get back to the checklists because our brains are human and they need them. Let’s get back to all the things Jesus commanded us to do, regardless of the means we remember them by.
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