By David Faust
One evening years ago, I tucked my young daughter into bed while she complained about her early bedtime. “After all,” she insisted, “I’m a night person, Daddy!”
Some of us roll out of bed at sunrise and hit the ground running, while others take a while to get going. For night people, “A.M.” stands for “Already Morning?”
We all recognize the sounds of morning. Showers spray, hair dryers hum, and school bus brakes squeak. Radios buzz with music, weather updates, and traffic reports. Morning also has unique smells (shaving cream and hair spray, fresh-perked coffee, toasted bagels) and sights (that frightening first glance at the bathroom mirror, your pet’s wagging tail, the dim but brightening dawn skies).
Have you ever wondered what God does every morning?
Every Morning, God Hears Prayer
David said, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly” (Psalm 5:3).
We can pray any time, but countless believers recognize the value of spending at least a few minutes with God at the start of each day. Some read the Bible and journal alone at their desks, while others meet for breakfast with a small group to pray and discuss Scripture.
A friend of mine worked in a college cafeteria, and his job required him to get up early every morning. He trained himself to say “Dear Lord” as he rolled out of bed. Then when he went to bed at night, he would say, “Thank you, Lord” before drifting off to sleep, so his whole day was enveloped by prayer.
Every Morning, God Dispenses Justice
Many mornings greet us with discouraging reports about crime in our cities, confusion in our culture, and corruption in our government. Each new day brings another skirmish in spiritual warfare as we take our stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11). The prophet Zephaniah was dismayed by the rebellion, arrogance, and profanity in Jerusalem. He compared the city’s leaders—including the prophets and priests—to “evening wolves” that spend the night eating their prey (Zephaniah 3:1-4).
If you sometimes feel like a sheep among wolves, remember: the Good Shepherd stands with his flock. Despite all of Jerusalem’s troubles, the prophet affirmed, “The Lord within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail” (Zephaniah 3:5). As each day begins, we can take comfort in the never-failing justice of God.
Every Morning, God Provides New Mercies
One hundred years ago (in 1923), Thomas Chisholm wrote the words of a magnificent hymn that proclaims throughout the refrain,
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
Chisholm’s lyrics came directly from Lamentations 3:22-23: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Ironically, Jeremiah penned these uplifting words during a time of excruciating sorrow for the Jewish people. He believed that even when circumstances are frightening, God is faithful.
Every morning, God finds innovative ways to pour out his compassion. We should view each new day as an opportunity to catch fresh glimpses of God’s grace. The Lord’s daily mercy makes every morning a little easier to face, even if you’re a night person.
Personal Challenge: Examine your morning routine. What grabs your attention most—your Bible or your cell phone? What fills your mind first thing each day—God’s Word or the daily news? How could you use your mornings more effectively to fix your mind on things above?
This is lovely. And encouraging thanks, David.
Thank you so much for your comments & suggestions to become a more prayerful person . . . we all can use a reminder once in a while.
Great reminder … every morning pick up my Bible, before reaching for the cell phone!