“In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart].” Psalm 5:3 AMP
“But I will sing of Your mighty strength and power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy and loving-kindness in the morning; for You have been to me a defense (a fortress and a high tower) and a refuge in the day of my distress.” Psalm 59:16 AMP
“Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You.” Psalm 143:8 AMP
It's 5:00 a.m. and the alarm clock goes off. I jump out of bed ready to enter another hectic day full of appointments and responsibilities. I run to the kitchen and turn on the coffee pot, then head into the kids rooms to wake them up. I make a mad dash to the shower knowing I have to be downtown at a meeting by 9:00. I take a quick shower and get ready. I run into the kitchen and assemble the lunches for the kids. I referee the fight going on at the breakfast table over who gets the prize in the cereal box. My husband tries to talk to me but I have no time to discuss what kind of printer we should buy, so I cut him off.
After breakfast I hurry the kids out the door and load them into the car so I can take them to school. Traffic is horrible and I have a feeling I am going to be late. The pressure gets to me and I shout at the kids who are squabbling over who gets to play the game system first when they get home. We pull into the school parking lot and I tell them they better be good at school because nobody is playing the game system if I get a bad report. I exit the school parking lot and head downtown. With rush hour traffic at a standstill I honk my horn trying to get the car in front of me to move.
Then I begin to make a mental list of everything I have to do when I get home. There’s laundry, dinner, basketball practice for the boys at two locations, baths, homework, grocery shopping, taxes, phone calls, and yard work. The thoughts are overwhelming and I begin to get tense thinking about it. Finally I can’t take the thoughts anymore and I cry out to God to quiet the madness of daily life because I just can’t handle all the pressure!
Does this scenario sound familiar? Though this is not an actual account, it is an accurate picture of what modern day life looks like in most households. Daily life can be overwhelming but in these Scriptures the Psalmist gives us the antidote for the sickness we feel in the pit of our stomach from the pressure. He reminds us to spend the first moments of our day praying, praising, and seeking God’s direction for our day. We cannot change the reality of responsibilities and commitments, but we can change how we approach them by heeding the Psalmist’s advice.
When we pray mountains move! When we praise our countenance changes! When we watch and wait for God, He comes to speak to us! When we remind ourselves that He is our defense, tensions diminish! When we listen for God’s voice our spirit is quieted! When we seek God’s direction our burdens are lifted! When we lift up our inner self to Him, we are strengthened by His power!
In order to deal with the pressures of daily life we need to give God the first fruits of our day! This is the only way we will not be overwhelmed by the thoughts of what the day holds. I learned a long time ago to set my alarm clock an hour early so I would have the time to spend with the Lord. It is important to know that at the time I hated mornings! You couldn’t get me out of bed early if you put a stick of dynamite under my bed! But when the Holy Spirit spoke to me one day something changed in me! I no longer hated the morning hours and in fact, I came to love them. It wasn’t a certain time of day I loved; it was the feeling of being empowered during the day that I loved! Today it is hard to get me to sleep past 4:00 a.m. I am up spending time with God, and then I spend time penning His messages for His people. It is one of the most amazing transformations I have ever experienced in my Christian walk!
If this is not a part of your daily routine I want to encourage you to try it! I guarantee God will not disappoint you! It may take a few days or weeks to get used to getting up early, but within a short time it will become a habit. If you already do this I want to encourage you to find friends in your life who do not do this and who are overwhelmed by life. Share your testimony with them and ask them if they would like to try it. Be an encouragement to them if they do. Send them emails giving them examples of things they can do in their quiet time. From the blessings God has given you, become a blessing to others.
Prayer: I commit myself to spending the first part of my day with You oh Lord. I believe by faith that when I do, You will meet with me and strengthen me for my day. I praise You for choosing to give me the first fruits of Your day and I desire to give You the first fruits of mine! Let my life be a testimony to those around me as I make this decision to spend the first part on my day with You. Amen
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