Here is a well-known quote to bring out the significance of morning...It says, "One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day!" How true! How undebatable!! With the dawn of a day, dawns new strength, great ideas, fresh thoughts and renewed spirit. Imagine a life without sleep... In such a situation, human brain finds no rest and will have to pursue living this mortal life, having heaped all the failures, angers, quarrels and defeats within himself, finding no room to unleash. You might hear a person disturbed in his mind being advised to take a nap after which he would feel free. Surprisingly, it does work! After a nap, he wakes up with fresh energy, great enough to face the existing turmoil he is been through. Much great will it resound, when he wakes up in the presence of the Lord! Here comes the importance of morning prayers, morning devotions and morning meditations... The early morning spirit endowed with energy, strength and clean ideas when coupled with the divine intervention of the Holy Spirit, works incredible wonders in every walk of life.
David, the great King and Psalmist, who truly experienced the greatness of the presence of the Lord during the early hours of the day, records, "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary" (Psalm 63: 1, 2). Even while lamenting, Jeremiah laments, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3: 22, 23). In Psalm 90: 14, the Psalmist says, "Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love that we may rejoice and be glad all our days". That which we are filled with, during the early hours of a day, determines our potential, performance and perseverance for the rest of the day. That's the right reason behind insisting any child of God to be drenched in the presence of the Lord early in the morning. We, who are chosen and called by our Creator, are destined to follow Christ and walk in His ways. Jesus himself set a model in seeking God's presence early in the morning. While Jesus was in flesh in this world, Mark 1: 35 records, "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". What other reason, than this, is required that we still delay in looking up to God in prayer in the morning hours? While Jesus Himself chose to seek for God's strength and guidance early in the morning, while it was still dark, how much more must we, mortal human beings be? The first reason as to why we gotta stick on to morning prayers is that, Jesus, our Master himself has set up a model for us to follow Him.
Secondly, committing ourselves to the Lord as we begin the day, brings forth strength and courage to deal with our emotions throughout the day! We might have to face challenges, temptations, problems, critical situations and issues with all intensities each day. The courage and strength to handle these emotions with ease relies on the minutes spent in the presence of the Lord early each day. This strength also moulds us to stay grounded amidst all joys, happiness, successes, appreciations and achievements that we encounter during the day, thereby giving God, all the glory. Many of us murmur at God for the mishaps we come across and take the pride to ourselves for our performances. The Lord who makes everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3: 11), is the author of our lives and everything it holds within. Ultimately, the potential to handle the emotions arising out of the happenings ought to be obtained from Him alone. That is why, we, the children of God are counselled to consider morning prayers as prime treasures.
Thirdly, meditating on the word of the Lord in the early hours of a day instils the faith within us to take a bold stand for the Lord and His kingdom amidst untoward circumstances. The Lord intervenes and speaks to those who take time and efforts to meditate on His word as their first task of the day. Matthew 6: 33 says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you". Our God is a God who honours them that honour Him. He honours those who prioritize Him. He is pleased with those who take pride in glorifying Him. Truly, when we prioritize God by offering Him the best time of the day - the early morning hours, He is sure to stand by our side and sustain us throughout the day, and lives. For He is the Lord, who is the Strength of Israel. He will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent (I Samuel 15: 29). The Psalmist experienced the value of the Word of God and hence sings, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119: 11). Certainly, meditating on the Word of God bestows the strength and power to overcome the wicked schemes of the ugly devil in our lives. Coupled with this, the Word of God, which is the Sword of the Spirit (Eph 6: 17) is the need of the hour to stand in the Truth and to be delivered. For it is essential to hold on to the Truth amidst all the existing and easily available false teachings which tend to divert even the Chosen. Matthew 24: 13 enunciates, "He who stands till the end, shall be saved." To fight a good fight and to finish the race that is set before us, let us take heed to meditating on the Word of God and relying on His strength during the early hours of the day. Doing this, will truly bring forth all the difference in our lives and will aid in glorifying Christ and Christ alone!