The first followers of Jesus were people who were intentional about the way they lived their lives, and how they cultivated a deep relationship with Christ. A pattern for daily living included, meals together, prayer together, worship together, and meeting the needs of other people together. These were not activities that were practiced with rigidity, they were practiced with intention.
It is not only the first followers who need to be intentional about the patterns of our lives. We must find ways to practice the disciplines of our faith, prayer, worship, service, fellowship, and time of deep community. In fact the journey of faith is meant to be a communal journey. Practicing the disciplines of our faith in a private way will leave our faith short of all that God has in mind. To experience the fullness of God requires a community of believers journeying together.
Marriage requires intention as well. To cultivate a fulfilling marriage we must pattern our lives in such a way that we are developing the relationship with our spouse to the fullest. This includes prayer, study of Scriptures, worship, fun time, date time and times of intimacy. Like the disciplines of our faith, these marital disciplines prepare us to live the marriage God longs for us to live.
Living our marriage or our faith by happenstance will result in a poor outcome. This does not mean we have to rigidly follow a schedule. Rather it means we need to find a pattern or rhythm to our lives. A regular way to practice the disciplines that lead us to the life we crave and that God desires for us. If you already have an established pattern, great keep at it. If you do not have a pattern, personally or in your marriage, invest in the time to explore living intentionally.
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