The Divine Mentor by Wayne Cordeiro: Week Five: Chapter Five: “One thing for Martha”

Hi everyone!

So how are you doing with this book?

I hope we’re all inspired to take the twenty-one day challenge that Pastor Wayne posed in this chapter to either form or solidify our habit of spending time every day with the Lord. Do you remember how he described that habit? He called it “the headwaters of life, the source of heaven’s artesian well, and the unambiguous source for the Christian—that which fuels, ignites, guides, sustains, and empowers absolutely everything.” (Page 68)

I loved his quote from Ignace Jan Paderewski (renowned Polish pianist): “If I skip one day of scales, when I play in concert, I notice. If I skip two days of scales, my coach will notice. And if I skip three days, the world will notice.” (Page 69)

For us followers of Jesus, devotional time in the Word is our scales—and it must be practiced daily. As Wayne said, “Daily time in God’s Word is a divine Global Positioning System to teach you how to find your way back to where you got off path.” (Page 72)

He also reminded us that it is critically important that these devotional times are centered on the Bible itself and not just Christian books or devotionals. Devotional books should supplement our Bible study times not replace them.

I think my favorite part of this chapter was when Pastor Wayne wrote, “Wherever I happen to be in the world, people know exactly what I’m doing—so long as it’s 6:30 a.m. my time.” (Page 74) He then went on to describe the joy and delight that he has cultivated in his early morning Bible study routines (complete with coffee, journal, and scone).

And in case we are ever tempted to think we don’t have the time or the need for daily devotions, Wayne also reminded us that Jesus Himself made it a habit of spending regular time alone with His Father. How shallow and arrogant it would be for us to think that we can adequately function with less time with God than Jesus Himself needed.

In a recent pastors’ seminar I heard Pastor Jack Hayford say, “If you read through the Bible in its entirety every year for twenty years it will eventually just flow out of you.” That’s what we want—we want the life-giving Word of God flowing out of our souls in to every area of our lives.

Discussion questions:

1. Do you have a daily devotion routine?
2. Can you think of what might enhance that routine?
3. Do you need to get accountable with someone to ensure that you follow that routine? 🙂

Love you all!

Chris Jackson