Higher Ground | Day 6
A TIME WITH THE LORD IN THE MORNING
Psa. 90:14 – Satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness that we may give a ringing shout and rejoice all our days.
Lam. 3:22-23 – It is Jehovah’s lovingkindness that we are not consumed, for His compassions do not fail; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
In the Bible we find God’s servants rising up early in the morning. Let us consider their examples: Abraham (Gen. 19:27; 21:14; 22:3), Jacob (Gen. 28:18), Moses (Exo. 8:20; 9:13; 24:4; 34:4), Joshua (Josh. 3:1; 6:12; 7:16; 8:10), Gideon (Judg. 6:38), Hannah (1 Sam. 1:19), Samuel (1 Sam. 15:12), David (1 Sam. 17:20), Job (Job 1:5), Mary (Luke 24:22; Mark 16:9; John 20:1), [and] the apostles (Acts 5:21). These many verses tell us that God’s servants had the habit of dealing with God early in the morning. Every one of them had the habit of waking early in the morning and fellowshipping with God early in the morning. They rose up early in the morning to do many things related to God’s business. They also rose up early in the morning to consecrate themselves. Although there is no commandment in the Bible that tells
us to get up early, there are sufficient examples in the Bible to show us that all faithful servants of God rise up early. Even the Lord Jesus Himself rose up early. He rose up very early in the morning, while it was still night, and went away to a deserted place to pray (Mark 1:35). When He wanted to appoint the twelve apostles, He called them to Himself early in the morning (Luke 6:13). If the Lord had to rise up early to do these things, how much more do we need to rise up early?
Any brother or sister who wants to follow the Lord must never think that there is little difference in rising up an hour early. Early rising brings in great blessing. We hope that you will not miss the blessing of early rising at the start of your Christian life. (Messages for Building Up New Believers, pp. 167-168)