Seek Him in the Morning!
Read 1 Samuel 19
Saul is after David, he wants him dead. Saul’s son Jonathan is friends with David, and warns David that his father is looking for any chance to kill him. Jonathan says to David, “Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there.”
I read these words this morning, and they struck me. Last night, I was talking with my friend Tim about how much our environments can affect us. We just got back from an intense Christian community where following Christ was the most natural thing in the world. Now we are out of that, and need to be strong. We also agreed that we need to be taking time every morning to seek the Lord, or else we may be led astray. Yesterday I did not really spend time with the Lord in the morning, and the whole day I felt far from god. So when I read these words, God affirmed to me that I need to be seeking His Kingdom and His Righteousness at the start of every day. Today has been amazing thus far, and I believe it is because I spent time with the Lord this morning.
Jonathan tells David to be on your guard in the morning, to find a secret place and hide yourself there. We too need to come before the Lord every morning. Find a secret place, some solitude, and meet with the Lord. The enemy is after us, and he wants us dead. He seeks to destroy us and if he steals away our time with Jesus in the morning, we may miss out on the Kingdom life that entire day! When you don’t seek Jesus first in the morning, you tend to forget to seek Him first the rest of the day. So guard your time in the morning. When you wake up, pray, let it be the first thing you do. Wake up and hold your palms up to the Lord, telling Him you surrender everything, and will take anything He gives with thanksgiving. I am convinced that honoring God in the morning will radically affect your days!
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
“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)
“But I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” (Psalm 55:16-17)
“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” (Psalm 59:16)
“But I cry to you for help, O Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before you.” (Psalm 88:13)
“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love; that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” (Psalm 90:14)
“It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night…” (Psalm 92:1-2)
“Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the LORD.” (Psalm 101:8)
“My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.” (Psalm 130:6)
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.” (Psalm 143:8-12)
“O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.” (Isaiah 33:2)
“The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” (Isaiah 50:4) (Read all of Isaiah 50!)
“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.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)
“In the morning the word of the LORD came to me” (Ezekial 12:8)
Finally, a couple recommended songs! Check out Charlie Hall’s “I Will Overcome”, Cory Asbury’s “So Good to Me” and Jars of Clay’s “I Need You” Enjoy!
