“And in the early morning, while it was still dark, He arose and went out and departed to a lonely place, and was praying there.” – Mark 1:35
One of my fondest childhood memories involves my father kneeling at his bed in prayer. He is most definitely not a morning person. But upon awakening, he slid out of bed onto his knees to pray. Without fail.
Wow – what a tremendous example and legacy my dad has left for me to follow! He’s now in his seventies, and I’m confident his habit of meeting with the Lord each morning remains the same.
Even more importantly, our Lord Jesus Christ exemplified the best way to begin each day. Just as He communed with His Father, so should we. Everything goes so much better when it has been prefaced by time with Him.
“But I’m not a morning person!” … you’re not alone.
“I don’t have the time” … we make time for what’s important to us.
“It doesn’t really matter when I spend time with God – just as long as I meet with Him sometime during the day” … basically true. But since Jesus demonstrated His dependence on God by praying as morning dawned, we might need to reconsider our priorities. Is God truly first in our life? This isn’t about keeping a checklist or performing a certain way to achieve His love. The question is how does our daily routine reflect who/what is most valuable to us?
Maybe there’s another reason hindering you from fellowshipping with the Lord when your day starts. Or maybe you already have discovered the joyous difference morning time with Him creates.
Whatever the case, it takes discipline to reach for God before reaching for what this world has to offer.
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t arise when it’s dark in order to pray. But God has taught me to cherish Him as my day originates. A typical morning includes my robe and slippers, a cup of coffee, my Bible, and a quiet place. Nothing can replace the comfort of His presence, the wisdom of His Word, the surety of His ear, and the gentle guidance of His voice.
Throughout our lives, God graciously seeks us so we might seek Him. The level of intimacy we experience with Him directly relates to the level of interaction in our relationship. A holy exchange.
As we increasingly begin our day with God by talking and listening to Him, the craziness of life will subside and our Lord’s peace will prevail.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and He with Me.” – Revelation 3:20
Thank you Emily. I needed the reminder. God is the most important part of our day especially at the beginning and not the end. I haven’t been following your writings very long, but growing to appreciate them.
Thanks!
You’re welcome – God is so good! Great to hear from you ~