Rise And Shine
"But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray." Luke 5:16
"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed." Mark 1:35
Insight
Despite what the non-morning people might believe, 5:00 am is better than 5:00 pm. I do not say this to spark controversy; it is just a personal preference. On the other hand, my wife Denise plays for the other team, which required us to establish morning rules in our family. When my feet hit the floor, I am ready. I want to talk, workout, have fun, just get going. Denise does not; she wants to sleep until 8 am. Regardless of what time she wakes up, it's understood that I have to wait an hour to give her my full-energy-self, or 30 minutes if she has had coffee.
For me, the morning is the only time of day when I feel as though silence and stillness exist. Everything is still calm and peaceful. Time seems to be a little slower in the mornings, and I do not feel the need to keep pace with anything. This is when I have my sacred time with Jesus. I read my Bible, journal, and spend time in prayer. Once this routine became a habit, it changed the ways my days went because it enabled me to establish my focus on God from the very beginning.
No matter what I face throughout the day, I am a bit more prepared for it because I have established my heart with God. In the past, when I began my days off rushed, it felt as though the entire day stayed rushed. When I started my days off with social media or the news, I would always bum myself out and allow it to determine the rest of my day. I ultimately learned that the best way for me to start my day was alone with my Father.
The time I spend with Jesus allows me to fix my focus on Him, fall more in love with Him, and establish my heart to trust Him. Most importantly, it continues to teach my spirit of the necessity I have for Jesus. Of course, I still struggle with temptations and frustrations throughout the day, but my posture to respond to them is built around Jesus. I can be loving and patient with others because I have already spent time learning from the most loving and patient One I know.
Even if it is not the first part of our day, sacred time with our Father is necessary. Think about how many things influence you throughout a typical day: a person, a post, or an event. All of those, in a single moment, can take you from a good time to a bad time, or vice-versa. What happens to you might be out of your control, but the way it influences you is in your hands.
Look at the day-to-day accounts we have of Jesus walking on this earth. Jesus faced trials, difficulties, and challenging circumstances. People tried to trick Jesus, trap Him, and even harm Him. Yet, Jesus never responded in a harmful and damaging way because He made it a habit to be with His Father every day. He did not let what was happening around Him to change His heart within Him. Even though Jesus was the Son of God, He made it a necessity to be with His Father. As a result, He continued to walk in His purpose. And the same is true for us.
Every moment we choose to have a sacred time with our Father is a choice to grow our connection with our Father. As we make those times a necessity, we begin to see how blessed each day is. And even on our toughest days, the time we spend with our Father reminds us that He is good, and that is enough to get us through.
Reflection
What are you allowing to influence your days?
What area of your life can you find to carve out a sacred time with your Father?
Prayer
Father, thank you for inviting me to be with You. As the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, You still encourage Your children to spend sacred time with You. You remind us how involved You are with us, and how much You love us. Help me see how much of a necessity time with You is and how it can change the way we live. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.
Port City writer Davy Nance wrote today's devotional.
