“Let me hear of Your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting You. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to You.” (Psalm 143:8 NLT)
How do you begin your day? Startled by the alarm, do you jump out of bed without giving the Lord a thought? I sure hope not. In this season of my life the Lord is waking me early so I can spend time with Him before I get out of bed. Why is that so important?
The Psalmist thought it was important for several reasons. First, a devotion to Scripture. How better to “hear of Your unfailing love each morning” than to let our mind feast on the words of His holy Word? Foundationally, what we think about comes about, so, what better way to fill our mind with positive, God-honoring thoughts than through reading, meditating upon, and memorizing God’s Words.
Why would we do that? Because of our trust in the Bible’s Author. The Psalmist declared “for I am trusting You.” Trust is built on relationship. No trust, no relationship. If we have any kind of meaningful relationship, you’ll trust what I tell you to be true. How much greater confidence can we have in the authenticity and truthfulness of the words of God.
We can build our life on His words knowing He loves us and He doesn’t lie. But thirdly, we need to listen to the Lord’s directions and instructions through prayer. The Psalmist wrote: Show me where to walk.“ Yes, of course, the Lord speaks and shows us where to walk through His Word, but the intimacy that grows out of regular seasons of conversation with Him gives clarity and personal detail that His general instructions in the Bible reveal may not offer.
His personal guidance and instruction will parallel and never contradict His Word, but by His Spirit we’re able to see more clearly how His Word can be applied and lived out in our life. Which relates to the fourth insight the Psalmist gives us when he writes: “for I give myself to You.”
Giving ourselves to the Lord is very personal, but it’s also very important. But how? Until I understand the Lord has specific instructions for me that apply to my life, my circumstances, my schedule, my plans, my outcomes for any given day, I’ll miss His still, small voice that guides, guards, informs, equips, and enables me to hear His voice and walk in His way during any given day.
Maybe that homeless guy outside the gas station is an “ornament” you’ve grown accustomed to seeing every time you pull in for gas, but maybe this time rather than seeing a familiar “object,” you see a human being in need of a kind word, a warm smile, and maybe a sandwich or a bottle of water. When we’re able to see God personally involved in our life, it’s much easier to understand our mission as we navigate our day is to represent Him well in the interactions we have with others.
Ray Majoran’s words inspire and challenge me as he prays: “As we entrust this day to You, help us recognize the strength found in meeting You early, not as a ritual of obligation but as the place where our souls realign with what is good and lasting. Give rest to those who wake feeling worn, peace to those who rise with burdens already forming, and encouragement to those who long for hope to break through. Let the first moments of this day draw us into Your presence so that everything that follows is shaped by the grace You have already given.”
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 