August 5th
“Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.” Psalm 5:2-3 NKJV
“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night, On an instrument of ten strings, On the lute, And on the harp, With harmonious sound. For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands. Psalm 92:1-4 NKJV
“O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions– his great and wide sea, In which are innumerable teeming things, Living things both small and great. There the ships sail about; There is that Leviathan Which You have made to play there. These all wait for You, That You may give them their food in due season. What You give them they gather in; You open Your hand, they are filled with good. You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.” Psalm 104:24-30 NKJV
Morning can be one of the best times of the day to commune with God in the beauty of his creation. As the sun’s fresh rays peek through the trees and across the dew covered grass, I’m reminded that God’s mercies are new every morning. The One who made the trees, flowers, birds, insects, sky and sun loves me and gives life to me every day through his Spirit who lives in me.
Sometimes for my quiet times I’ll take a walk and talk to God in prayer, while enjoying the cool of the day. There’s something about the sounds of the birds and the meadow insects in the morning where I live that makes me think about the Garden of Eden. I think of how God likely had walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day, which was probably morning. Eden was no doubt more spectacular than the earth’s current condition, but we still are surrounded with so many reminders of our Lord’s handiwork. I find the intricate and wondrous diversity of life that he has created to be inspiring for praising and thanking God for what he has made.
I like the above verses because they capture how starting the day with God can help us have the proper perspective for the rest of the day. Our quiet times need not be restricted to the confines of our home. Every now and then, I run into “quiet time burn-out,” where I lack the inspiration to read the word or pray or worship. I find it especially helpful during such times to get outside for a breath of fresh air and re-tap into God through the beauty of his creation.
Questions for further thought:
Why has God filled the earth and heavens with his glory? (Psalm 22:27)
Can we enjoy the union with God that Adam and Eve had before they sinned? (Romans 5:1)
Why is it important to meet with God each day? (Ephesians 4:22-24; Hebrews 11:6)
Prayer:
“Heavenly Father, You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched hand. Nothing is too difficult for you! Thank you for creating me and surrounding me with all the reminders of your creation. Thank you for giving me life through your Spirit and empowering me to live as a new creation…as the person you created me to be. I renew my commitment to live for you today and to be used for your purposes. May I glorify you in thought, word and deed today. I praise you now and forever, Amen.”