Early

Life gets so busy, it can be hard to hear God clearly, but I’ve learned that practicing being in God’s presence in quiet moments helps me hear Him better in the noise. The still, small Voice of the Holy Spirit can scream loudly inside you like a violet tug or a deep knowing, without a single word being exchanged between you and God. It’s a beautiful thing to be warned, comforted or guided by the Holy Spirit.

Lately I’ve been staying in bed a bit longer in the morning instead of getting up when I wake up. It’s been hard to pull myself out of bed to pray and I find myself talking to God while still in bed and falling asleep, only to wake up having forgotten His response or remembering bits and pieces of what He said to me.

This morning, He told me I can’t do this on my terms.  What a thing to hear God say! Sure, it makes sense to me to lay in bed.  I’m groggy in the morning and it takes a huge effort to physically get out of my bed. God knows this.  He knows it would make “sense” to get as much rest as possible before starting my day.  But did you know that sometimes God doesn’t make “sense” and yet He’s always right?

I had a whole download this morning, and it was so fuzzy when I woke up, because I listened to my body and I didn’t listen to God. I’m praying He helps me remember.

Mark 1:35 says, “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.”

If the Son of God woke up early in the morning to pray, how much more should we?

Prayer for today:

Lord, thank You for waking me up this morning.  Thank You for the breath of Life in me. Thank You for keeping me and my loved ones safe.  Thank You for the blessings You have stored up for me and my family.  I am sorry for not listening to You when you nudged me, when you spoke quietly to me and told me to do something I felt was unnecessary or inconvenient. I want to live for You and I want You to bless my Life.  Help me to listen more closely to Your voice and help me to obey you.  Give me the spiritual strength to obey You word before I obey my own desires and do what makes sense to me in the moment.  Line up my desires with Yours so I always please You.  And if I fall short, help me to quickly correct myself so I can get back in line with Your Perfect Will for my Life.  Thank You for not giving up on me.  Thank you for blessing me with the opportunity to ask You for this.

I’m agreeing with what You’ve already said in heaven about me, not what I may think about me.  I’m agreeing with You that I am set apart, loved, chosen and safe in your arms.  I’m agreeing with You that my Life has Purpose.  I’m agreeing with Your Plans for me, even if I don’t know them yet.  I trust You more than I trust my logic, and I submit my whole Life to You.

Thank you for meeting me on my level and pulling me higher to be closer to You every day.  I don’t want to leave Your Presence.  Show me how to stay here, so we are always close.

I love You, God.  I honor You and praise You for all You are.  You’re holy and righteous, always right and Your ways are perfect.  I will not fight against Your authority.  I know that if I submit to You, I will have power over the enemy because You will back me up.  Thank you for transferring Your power to me through Jesus Christ so I can resist him and overcome his evil plans and traps he set up for me.  Thank You that Your plans for me are bigger and better than my dreams and goals for myself and thank You for guiding me to the path to walk out what You’ve planned for me.

Thank You for knowing my needs before I ask You, and loving me so much You still want me to sit with you and ask, so You can hear my voice praying to You today.  Thank You for wanting a relationship with me.  I want to hear Your Voice too.  Teach me how to listen to You.  Teach me how to listen for You.  And answer me in your Perfect Timing.  I trust Your answer, whatever it is.

Thank You, God, for doing all this and more.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.