Sunrise

Taking Time Each Morning

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Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.] Psalm 145:13 ESV


Each morning I wake up
Before I put on my makeup
I say a little prayer for you

Aretha Franklin

While of course we know Aretha Franklin wasn’t talking about praising God she does make a perfect point about love. It has a wonderful way of forming our thoughts before we even start our day! Love for Jesus should be no less passionate than love for a husband or wife. And love means taking time – the very first and best moments of our day to choose to praise the Lord.

I love Psalm 145 because in it David wastes not even a single line without using it to give God praise. Though there are many different reasons David gives us for praising God today’s thought is just about one of them. God is kind. In 1 Corinthians 13 we usually remember that patience is listed as love’s first attribute but then forget that the Holy Spirit marries that attitude to kindness. Patience endures our failings but in kindness God actively seeks ways to do us good often in small blessings we just take for granted. Why not take a moment this morning to praise God for at least one of them. He has been faithful to help us in our baby steps of faith. Let’s thank him for such tender kindness and love even before we put on our make-up or in my case that would be my first cup of coffee! God bless and have a great day taking time with God.

An Answer in the Morning

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And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?  Mark 4:13 ESV

When I as a teenager we used to sing the Andre Crouch song, “Jesus is the Answer” with great abandon and joy. We were super confident that life was now simple and our challenges under control because we had met Jesus and He was our Savior. But now that fifty years have passed, I am discovering that the same Jesus who was the answer for my salvation has also been the Jesus who asks me some very uncomfortable questions, like today’s verse. “How will you understand?”

After five decades my answer is, “I have no idea Lord!” I am often baffled like Philip was when he asked Jesus, “We don’t know where you are going, How can we know the way?” Jesus rarely gives us an easy answer. He doesn’t outline three steps to healing, five keys to church growth or six choices leading to prosperity. Instead He comes each day and asks, “Which one was a neighbor? Will you also go away? Who do you say that I am? or Why are you weeping?”

Why does Jesus do that? My best guess is that when I know the answer, I will not be here any longer to tell you! But one morning when the mist is wiped clear from Heaven’s windows we are promised that will see our Jesus who asks every question and is Himself the answer; our Lord and our most intimate friend. That morning we will know as we are known and there we will see Him face to face!

For my younger readers who likely have no clue as to who Andre Crouch is I am posting a link to a live performance. I was blessed to have the chance to see He along with his sister Sandra and the band in Phoenix in 1972. This YouTube video doesn’t really convey the tremendous energy faith hope (and volume!) that ruled during those live concerts. Have a blessed day all.

Early in the Morning

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And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord: Genesis 19:27

Often when we think of early morning prayer times, a picture of a hot cup of coffee and a Bible in your hand comes to mind. But Abraham had a different idea. He went outside and found a place to stand and listen to God. I can identify with Abraham because I have loved waking up super-early since I was a kid. One of my earliest memories is hearing my mom say, “Go back to bed, it’s only six o’clock!” Maybe I was hungry or maybe I just felt that I might miss out on something exciting if I lay under the covers any longer. Either way mornings remain special to me and today that time includes going outdoors, weather permitting. While I am out walking around our neighborhood, the song that often comes to mind is “This Is My Father’s World.” According to the story, this was also the hymn writer’s inspiration when he would head outside, telling his wife, “I’m going out to see my Father’s world.”

Some versions have attempted to “Improve” the song by removing all Father and male references. Such silly theology misses the point that we have not just a God but a Father in Heaven. He watches over us all through every night and is waiting every morning to greet us and speak to us about our day. There is nothing more important that we could do than to stand before him and listen. One day we will all stand before the Lord, why not freely chose to do so today? No one could ever love us like a Father who sent His only Son for us that we could spend every morning with Him in Heaven and worship at His feet!

Since it is Father’s day week I thought I would share my Father’s day video this morning which includes This Is My Father’s World. Have a blessed day everyone!