WATCHWORD:
In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning, I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:3
O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1
Meditation:
The Warmth of My Bed
It was 6:10 a.m. and I felt lousy. It was a Wednesday morning and my Bible Study group would begin work on Exodus Chapter 4, at 7 a.m. Yesterday had been a busy day and I had gotten to bed late. I never set an alarm because I’m usually up before 5 a.m., except for this morning. I stood beside the bed in the morning chill, then I pull back the covers and slipped between the sheets, still warm. It felt so good! I drifted back to sleep.
Ten minutes later I was wide-awake, something nagging me about being part of my Bible Study and supporting my friends. I remained under the covers, but now my mind was on my Lord. I became aware of a passage of Psalm I had read recently, assuring me that God hears my voice and the requests that I lay before Him.
The dread that I felt just ten minutes before had disappeared like early morning mist with the awareness that my Lord was present with me. Let me make this clear, this was not an unusual happening, for me or for any of us. We have felt the same sensation many times before. However, for me, at that time, the vividness of the experience was a little different and it struck me with an awareness that this had been the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Perhaps we’ve all had these kinds of experiences. We awakened early in the morning and it’s hard for us to get out of bed, it’s hard for us to get started, and we spend too much time trying to figure out what we’re going to do. And then, maybe during your time of meditation and prayer, you lay it all before the Lord and suddenly the day brightens and it feels so clearly that God is in charge and that He loves you.
This is not be a rare occurrence. I believe it is always there, only our lack of awareness makes it seem rare. The possibility is always right there before us. The question is never, can we handle what’s going to hit us today, what’s going to be on our schedule, or whether we are prepared to handle what comes. The real question is whether we believe that you and the Lord can handle anything that comes our way. In Jesus Calling, Jesus tells us “It is this you-and-I-together factor that gives you confidence to face the day cheerfully.”
I firmly believe that all things are possible in a sinful man who believes in the Lord. Paul made that clear in Philippians 4, “I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.” Imagine that, having the strength and the power that Christ gives me to accomplish anything he asked me to do, even to crawl out from under the covers, get dressed, and go study the Bible. This may sound strange, but that particular morning, and many others, I experienced the fact that joy comes in the morning. It’s a grand experience knowing that my Lord and Savior is my friend. Amen.
Not the Word of God, a Little Baptist Humor:
A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw out during a particularly icy winter. Because of their hectic schedules, it was difficult for the couple to coordinate their travel plans. So, the husband left Minnesota and flew to Florida on Thursday, while his wife planned to fly down the following day. The husband checked into the hotel. There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an email to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter of her email address, and sent the email without realizing his error.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Houston, a widow had just returned home from her husband’s funeral. He was a Baptist minister who was called home to glory following a heart attack. The widow decided to check her email, expecting condolence messages from family and friends. But after reading her very first email, she screamed and fainted. The widow’s son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:
To: My Loving Wife – I’ve Just Arrived Today. I know you’re surprised to hear from me. They have computers here. Since I’ve just arrived, I thought I would send you this message. Everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then! Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.
P.S. Sure is hot down here!
Another Prayer for Our Nation:
Everlasting God of righteousness and grace, as our nation celebrates our Independence, remind us of our complete dependence upon you. We look to you for your wisdom and mercy as important issues are discussed throughout our nation. We ask you to keep this nation, and all nations, under your care, that we may be peoples who are at peace, and who are a blessing to others in this earth. Grant our nation’s leaders wisdom, that there would be times of peace and justice in our land and in our world.
We continue to honor all who serve in our Armed Forces, who serve as the centurion did as ones who are under authority—brave men and women who risk their lives for their country. Remind us of those who are far from home and loved ones, who sail or fly or walk in harm’s way, and keep them always close to you. Where there is combat, grant them compassion for their enemies, and keep them brave in the face of evil. Hold in your loving hands the families of those who are far away. Grant them comfort in their anxieties. And comfort those who grieve, because they have received the dreaded message that their loved one has died. Strengthen those who carry the wounds of war, visible and invisible, and be to them a sure presence.
Keep all of us grounded not in our strength but in yours, ever relying upon the promise that “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength … They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
All of this we pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
