I’m not a morning person. If you know me, that’s not news to you. I am much stronger in the evening and that is why, in part, I tend to post my blog for the day at night. In fact, one of the most difficult things about my seminary experience was the fact that I had to get up at 5:30 each morning and get ready for school. I left the house at 6:30 and drove to Greenwood, where I started my first class promptly at 7:30 a.m. On hindsight, I don’t know how I survived those first three years of school – Janet is quick to remind me that it was a God “thing.”
She’s right – I can’t possibly imagine getting up at 5:30 each morning for anything. When Janet and I were younger, we used to fly out on early morning flights when we took the kids on spring break to Florida. Nowadays, it’s tough for us to get going before the late morning. And it’s so pleasant – no longer do we miss a day of vacation trying to get our body clocks in sync with the time – or take a long nap to make up for the early morning rush.
But I’m getting off track here. The point of tonight’s post is that it’s been a long time since I got up really early. But last night I couldn’t sleep, and for some reason, I found myself completely awake as I heard the clock in our front hall strike 5:30 am. It was a very disquieting moment. I glanced at my bedside clock to confirm the unthinkable – but there it was – 5:30.
Another thing – although I know many people who get up early to conduct their daily devotions, I am not one of them. I do my devotions each evening when I write my daily post to all of you. Sometimes I study for quite a period of time but on other evenings, it just flows and my time actually in the Scriptures is quite short. But never let it be said that I don’t spend time each evening looking for verses that tie the theme of the day to some biblical principle or promise of God.
But 5:30 – come on. I’m too old for this stuff. I just wanted to sleep – my days are jam packed with a hectic schedule and I can’t afford to be tired. But there was no denying it – I was hopelessly awake. I took my iPhone from the bedside charger and started reading contracts that I am in the middle of studying. I actually laid there until almost 7:30 am, my eyes already tired and bloodshot from reading many pages of text on my tiny little phone screen. Sure, I got a tremendous amount done, but at what price? If I would have thought about it, at least I could have found my iPad and done all that reading in a little more comfort…
So, tonight’s post is a little shorter than usual because I am beginning to crash. On top of that, it was another emotional day – packed with unusual events and traumas of people who are in my everyday life.
The verse for tonight is from the Psalms. Sometimes, there are no verses more beautiful in the entire Bible than these songs. From Psalm 5:3, we are told, “In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” That’s what the morning is supposed to be about – petitioning, worshipping and praising God.
My encouragement this evening is that you will lay your petitions before the throne of God, whatever time of the day it is; and that you will wait in expectation for God’s response. My prayer is that God will answer your request and that you will grow in a deeper relationship with the Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…