Aug 01 – Early in the morning!

“When I awake, I am still with You.” (Psalm 139:18)

If Christ dwells within us, then surely, we can step into each new day with joy in the presence of the Lord. Didn’t He promise us His abiding presence with the words, “I will be with you”?

Although the Bible is filled with promises and we’ve heard many sermons on the presence of God, yet there are times in our lives when we don’t seem to feel it. Emptiness and loneliness surround us. We feel abandoned—by people and even by God.

The first counsel is this: to preserve and experience the presence of God each day, we must rise early in the morning with an expectation of His presence. Honor Him by offering the first part of your new day to the Lord.

If you rise early to seek Him, long for Him, and be filled with His glory, then you will sense His nearness throughout the day. You will also receive the divine strength you need to face all of the day’s battles and challenges.

As soon as you wake up, say with joy, “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Praise Him for the new opportunities He has given you, glorify Him, and be ready to do great things with His presence.

The Lord says, “I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me early will find Me” (Proverbs 8:17). “I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love Me and making their treasuries full” (Proverbs 8:20–21).

Once, I went to Tirupattur to spend some time in solitude and prayer. As dawn was breaking, I heard the chirping of many sparrows outside my room. When I opened the door quietly, I saw that the light outside had attracted a swarm of insects during the night. The sparrows were joyfully feeding on them. After a while, some more birds arrived — but there was no food left. They had come too late, and I felt sorry for them.

The same Lord who provided manna for the Israelites commanded that it be gathered early in the morning. Dear child of God, only those who rise early and gather the manna will enjoy the richness of His presence.

Verse for further meditation: “In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation.” (Psalm 5:3)