02/17/2018
How do you begin your day? When the alarm clock sounds, or you just wake up of your own volition, what are the things of your morning routine? Mornings are a special time. The world is fresh, and indeed so are we; so how do you greet the new day? Do you wash your face, Shower, dress, get a cup of coffee, or make breakfast? Where in your routine have you relegated prayer? Where is your time of devotion? When do you greet God? Is it first, last... at all?
“Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.”Psalms 5:1-3 ESV
Mornings are the time when we set the tone for our day. It is in the morning that our plans are laid, but more importantly, how our spiritual flame is rekindled. I will use a married couple as an example of the importance of prayer... what would happen if a man and his wife woke up in the morning, and went about their daily routine in silence? No “Good morning”, no “How did you sleep”, no “what are your plans for the day”, and no “I love you”, just each one doing their own thing, and ignoring the other. That sounds strange doesn’t it, and we would probably surmise that this marriage was on the rocks... in trouble. Yet that is exactly how millions upon millions of people treat the God of the Universe each morning.
“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.”Psalms 90:14 ESV
Something as simple as a gentle touch, and a “good morning honey” begins a day of marriage on good footing, so how do we greet the Lord? Mornings should begin in devotion and prayer; because this sets the direction for our entire day, and it engages God in everything we are about to do. I can’t tell you the number of people who tell me “I’m just not a morning person” or “I don’t have time in the morning for prayer!” Well my response to those questions is this... “maybe there is a reason you can’t function well in the morning”, and for those with no time for God I say “have you tried getting up a few minutes or so earlier?”
Have you noticed that when a person is grumpy in the morning, snaps at people, and is generally in a bad mood, they usually excuse that behavior by saying they just aren’t a morning person? Well friends... that is a person who just doesn’t care enough about those around them to change their behavior! We chose how we are going to act, and we can get help from God to change ourselves in the very same way that we ask Him for forgiveness, and other things. We can ask God to help us begin our day happy... but, oh that’s right... you don’t pray in the morning because you are not a morning person! How can you go through your day as a follower of Christ when you haven’t met up with Him yet? Is it any wonder that you begin your day behaving like a heathen? ... begin your day in prayer!
“I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words.
Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O Lord, according to your justice give me life.”Psalms 119:147, 149 ESV
Your morning routine accommodates many things in your worldly life... you rise in time to get dressed, get the kids fed and off to school, get prepared for work, and to arrive on time at your place of business... and yet you say there is no time for God? Oh, you console yourself by saying things like “God loves me, and He knows that I love Him, and how busy I am”; all that is true, but He also knows that you have placed him behind all of these other things in your life! Where do you stop running about in your world and meet with Him for a few minutes in His? At what point do you ask Him what His will is for you today, or to help you through the issues in your life... is it in a rushed minute before your next meeting, in a memorized prayer before your meal, “Bless this food Father...”? Where do you squeeze your creator into your life? Get up earlier and begin your day in prayer; it will smooth and straighten the road.
“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!”Psalms 57:7-11 ESV
So far, all of our scripture this morning (you are reading this in the morning?) Has been from the Psalms because it is a glorious place to learn of godly relationship, prayer, and praise. It doesn’t just tell us what to do, but is an example of how to do it. We aren’t told to praise God... we hear the words of praise. Sometimes examples speak volumes...
When I was a boy my father woke me up for school each morning. He was an early riser and by the time he came to rouse me he had already been up for quite some time. I know this because long before he called me I could smell the coffee perking and the bacon frying, and when I walked into the kitchen the morning paper was open and spread out on the table. There was also one more thing... I could hear him whistling as the time approached for him to come for me. I once asked him how he could be in such a good mood every single day, and he told me “I’m not, I am convincing myself.”
My Dad is gone now, but those words still ring true in my ears. We are in charge of how we will live our day. We choose whether we speak to God or put that relationship on the back burner, we chose whether we will be civil with people, or a jerk, yes, all of these things, and more, are ours to decide. The wonderful thing about this mind that we were given is that it rules our body. Sure, it won’t make a lame person walk, or a blind person see, but it allows us to control how we will deal with those things. Will I whistle this morning and be happy, or will I allow circumstances to dictate how I feel? Will I go into my day alone, or will I begin it in prayer and go out into the world having spoken with God, and walking with Jesus beside me?
So scripture tells us, and then reinforces, that we should begin our day in prayer with God. The choice then becomes ours... will we do so? Excuses are a dime a dozen, and in the end they are empty, and mean nothing. We make the choice, and we make the time. Decide what your priorities are. Test God... begin your day by asking Him to help your attitude and to bring whistling and song into your life... get up early a few mornings, and in the quiet of the dawn meet him in prayer and devotion, see if your day doesn’t change for the better, and your faith increase. Take charge of how you begin your day, and then let The Lord and Jesus Christ help you with the rest of it. Life will be fuller, and your walk through it Christlike. Even though our day might bring lament we will find His joy through morning prayer...
“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."”Lamentations 3:21-24 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the morning hours and the fresh new beginnings they bring. Thank you Lord for the precious time I spend with you while the mist is on the ground and the day is yet cool. Thank you for leading me through scripture and prayer into my day. Thank you for preparing me, for clothing me, so that my loved ones, and those around me, will see you in all your joy and love when they look upon me. Help me Father to chose well, help me to place my relationship with you before the needs of the world outside my prayer closet door. Keep me Holy Father, and protect me and my family today. Hold all evil at bay, and keep us from temptation. Fill me with your Joy, Merciful Father, by teaching me to pray in something as simple as a whistle. To sing your praises from my knees, and to humble myself in your presence always. Let the prayers of my spirit be a sweet aroma to you, and my words a melody in your ears. Hold me in your arms Father, and then lead me through my day as I walk in your will. You are great my Lord, and in you I place my trust forever.
Rich Forbes