In scripture we see the effectiveness of seeking God in the morning before the sun rises. I was down for prayer, but 5 in the morning? That's...early, Cassie.
But, in the book of Mark it says that Jesus got up very early in the morning, while it was still dark, went to a solitary place.. and prayed.
I was going to do it, but I didn't know why I was doing it. I knew Jesus did it, I knew that scripture says that the Lord hears you in the morning ( not that he doesn't listen at other times). But why? I wasn't going to research it. I wasn't going to ask an elder. I wasn't going to read about it. I was going to find out by myself.
5 a.m. rolled around, my phone rang, Cassie's sleepy voice on the other end said, "Awake? Time to pray girls." & so it began.
And I learned why.
Because as soon as my knees hit the floor and my prayer began there was an insane peace in the air. I prayed with no distractions. I prayed with no other thought in my head, I was too tired to think of Yesterday.. and Today had not begun.
Because as soon as my knees hit the floor and my prayer began there was an insane peace in the air. I prayed with no distractions. I prayed with no other thought in my head, I was too tired to think of Yesterday.. and Today had not begun.
Do not misread what I am about to say, I am a sinner every second of the day, I am in desperate need of a Savior every moment of every day. I live in this flesh, I carry this flesh that fails me, that betrays me, rejects me, tempts me. It. is. dust.
However, at 5 in the morning, I haven't opened my mouth and talked bad about my neighbor, or talked back to my mom. At 5 in the morning my eyes haven't strayed away, I haven't desired what isn't mine. At 5 in the morning my ears haven't heard secular music that I'm guilty of bobbing my head to. At 5 in the morning I haven't envied yet, I haven't been angered, my thoughts haven't entertained a no-good idea. No, I'm not perfect at 5 in the morning, remember, I'm still in this flesh.
But Lamentation says that Gods compassion never fails us, His mercies are new every morning.
Ya'll, it hit me. All at once.
I was not praying in a normal atmosphere, I was praying in the atmosphere of new mercies.
How beautiful is that? I was bringing my petitions to the father with a mind set that hadn't been filled with the filth of this world. I was praying at the moment in my day where I am the most innocent. Because yesterday doesn't count.
I was blown away. So I wanted to pray for everyone, I prayed for friends, family, strangers, all the babies that I take care of at work, my bosses, my co-workers, the men over seas, the weak, the broken hearted, the weary, the unmotivated.
You are so vulnerable before the sunrises, there's a reason for that. I encourage you to be completely insane, and go through out your day tired as can be, and wake up to pray. If you wake up at 5 anyway, then pray, or wake up at 3. But challenge yourself, challenge your friends, the way Cassie challenged Lily and I. In the words of Kyle Shinault, "Early mornings with Him are holy ground."
In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before youand wait expectantly.
