02/01/2019
Do you wake up in the morning with thanksgiving, and a song of praise on your lips for the Lord? If you answer no to this question then I ask that you make those first few breaths and thoughts the purposeful belongings of God. Doing this one thing will realign your day physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It will change your life.
“I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;”
Psalms 138:1 ESV
I am by nature a morning person; I get up in the early hours before the sun comes up and begin my day with the words “Thank you Father for this day, and your many blessings!” Then a song of praise comes to mind. Most of the time I don’t sing out loud because it would disturb the wonderfully serene atmosphere of the predawn hours. If you were to hear me attempting anything other than the quiet humming of a tune you would agree that two cats fighting would sound pleasing in comparison! Yet, quite often I can’t contain myself, and as I shower you might hear me belting out a certain hymn based on Psalm 118:24.
“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalms 118:24 KJV
Those first moments after we awaken set the mood for our entire day. The first few breaths we take and expel in thanksgiving and praise set the tone for how we will live out that day! Today, like every day should begin with a Prayer, and a song in our heart...
“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
Psalms 5:3 KJV
For me it hasn’t always been that way. There was a time in my life when my first thoughts in the morning were about what I should do at work that day, or the things that needed attention around the house. I thought about the problems I was facing, and what I could do to address them, and there was no song in my heart other than what might be bouncing off me as it came from the clock radio. My day began with the thoughts of my problems, and at the end of the day I went to bed with them as well. Then I read a particular scripture and it began a process in my life that changed me forever...
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philippians 4:8 ESV
I read this and thought to myself “who, and what, have I been allowing to rule my life?” I remembered that Satan is the ruler of this world, and concluded that by proxy I was allowing him to control me, even my first thoughts of the day were being controlled by him.
“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”
1 John 5:19 ESV
So what was I to do about this? I had to take my life back and place it firmly in the hands of Jesus. I had to redirect my thoughts by placing them on God from the moment of my first breath each morning. Suddenly, almost overnight if you will, my days became fresh and my mornings wonderful. The snapping at people in the morning and the negative outlook on my day changed to reflect the positive nature of God.
“"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?”
Isaiah 58:6 ESV
I was becoming a morning, and even, an all day person... someone who not only listened to the Prophet Isaiah, but to Jesus as well. I read His words as He asked me specifically for my burden, and then I allowed Him to carry it all day long for me...
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."”
Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
Today I started my day by thanking and praising God, as is my custom; “Thank you Father for this day, and your many blessings!” And then a song that was recently written by a close Christian friend came to mind as I walked towards the coffee maker humming it...
The melody coupled with his imagery was magnificent and glorious as he spoke of sunlight on mountains, snow, rainfall, and so many other powerful visions that revealed God. I was nearly overcome as my mind made them real to me. Poets and lyricists reveal God to us as they reflect them in the everyday things that we see. Their poetic Imagery places us into the presence of God, and changes the way we view our day, but we don’t need great poets, or to leave our home to find God’s glory, and I was able to quickly substitute my own glimpse of Him...
“I see the peace of a baby
Sleeping quiet in the bed
Early morning sunlight
Lighting up its head
Gentle breathing and a soft sigh
As it shines onto its eyes
All created by the uncreated one.”
Thanking God, praising God... these first breaths change not only our attitude, but who we are, and they take what we are offering to the Lord, and turn them around to become a blessing He gives back to us. Are you ready to thank and praise Him this morning?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for allowing me to begin my day in prayerful thanksgiving and praise to you. Thank you for the memories of your creation, gifts, blessings, and glory that you have planted within me, and which come flooding out as I think of you in the early moments of each day. Lift me up towards heaven Holy Father, and don’t allow the problems of this world to mire my feet in its muck. Lift me up as I thank you for your blessings, and for thrilling my soul as the visions of you fill my mind, and I praise you for those blessings. I see you Father wherever I look, it might be towards the grand peaks of mighty mountains, or the gentleness of a child sleeping in a crib, but you are there, and the tears rising in my eyes bear you witness.
Rich Forbes