04/02/2022
Have you ever prayed and meditated on God’s Word before the sun has come up? There is something incredibly personal about sharing this quiet time with God. We find that the wee hours of the day are indeed the most quiet, and have the fewest distractions as we approach our Father. In the stillness of morning our hearts are filled with the presence of the Almighty. It is like the calm before a storm when the wind is settled, and we feel that something is certainly coming without having to see it… it is the height of our faith that thrives in the very sound of silence… it is our hope that rests on the tip of the day’s tongue.
“I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.”
Psalm 119:147-148 ESV
I awaken every morning before the dawn, and sit in my prayer chair, where I feel the presence of the Holy Spirit stronger than at any other time in my day. I hear the whisper of God without straining to distinguish his voice from amongst the sounds of day, or over the roar of the world. The Lord can shout louder than the rushing wind, or raise His voice above the cacophony of life, but His desire is for us to meet Him in the still, the silence, and in the calm. He wants our undivided attention, and our most attentive heart to be His alone. It is here that we will know Him best, praise Him without interruption, and can yield ourselves to Him completely. Our tears flow without reservation, and our dreams are still open in their fullness before Him.
““Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah”
Psalm 46:10-11 ESV
Jesus visited with His Father during this time of day, and we should follow His example. There is something about separating ourselves from the everyday flow of life, and living, that prepares us to hear God’s will. It allows us to meditate, and release ourselves from the chains of our humanity for a few hours, and enter into the outskirts of Heaven.
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”
Mark 1:35 ESV
When praying in the morning Jesus received His instruction for the coming day. He was given reassurance, hope, and what He was to do in service to God. Do we seek this kind of revelation before the sun rises on our day? Do we spend quiet time with God as He whispers His desire for us, confides His love for us, or reveals how His plan will stave off the fear and darkness of our troubles? Or, do we awaken with the sun and step unprepared into the world?
“And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.””
Mark 1:36-38 ESV
Rising early to pray takes resolve, and determination. Seeking, and hearing God is not an accidental occurrence or a matter of happenstance, it comes as the result of our placing Him first, before all else, and yes… before our day begins. It requires sacrifice, and giving up a bit of our comfort, and sometimes a great measure of our comfort. We should consider rising early just as all who are used by God arise. Listen to examples of a few…
Abraham…
“And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord.”
Genesis 19:27 ESV
Moses…
“So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone.”
Exodus 34:4 ESV
David…
“O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.”
Psalm 5:3 ESV
I propose that you should rise early for prayer, and see if your faith is not strengthened disproportionately as you pray in these early hours as compared to during the day. See if you are not more at peace during the daylight hours after having spent it’s beginning in the presence of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Open your heart, and present yourself to God without the disruption and interference of the world.
“My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.”
Psalm 63:5-7 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for meeting us in the quiet times, and the stillness before the dawn. Thank you for allowing us to see Jesus as He arose early, and sat with you to hear your will. Help us Lord to give ourselves over to you before we begin our days, and thus do during the day what you have confided in us during the predawn hours. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you out God who lifts us from our bed, and calls our name from the still and peaceful hours before the sun reveals itself. Praised be your name for every whisper and revelation of your will. You are Merciful Lord, and meet our prayers for forgiveness with yea. You are full of grace Lord, and pour it over us like a warm oil in the cool of night. You comfort us like a cloak against the morning chill as we kneel before you, and you hold us close to your warm breast like children who shiver in their sleep. Wash us clean in the blood of Christ, and prepare us for the day of judgement. Seat us in the light that illuminates your table, and feed us the manna of your Word that falls with the morning dew. Meet us this morning Father, and lead us into every new day hereafter, and forevermore.
Rich Forbes