My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up. (Psalm 5:3)

Taking Time In The Morning

David was a man of prayer. He was also a man who used each day with purpose and design. David lived three thousand years ago, but his life was not unlike what men find today in the busy rush of life. The challenge of life is how best to run the ‘rat race,’ meaning there are so many things that vie for time and energy. Being the king of Israel would be no exception. Tending sheep for his father was consuming. David was a busy man. What made a difference in his life was how he began his day.

God created the world in days beginning with morning and ending with evening. Every morning is a fresh page of opportunities, challenges, battles, victories, and plans. Satan begins his day earlier than man begins his. The devil has plans and schemes to destroy the souls of God’s people. Anyone who begins the day unarmed is preparing to die. Satan is a formidable foe that must not be underestimated. David began his day with morning devotion to God. The morning was the key element to his defense and attack against Satan. He would spend time in the word of God and prayer. While Paul would not fully describe what David was doing until he wrote to the church at Ephesus, what David was doing was putting on the armor of God.

The morning is the beginning. It is the time of preparation. David knew the value of preparing himself for the day. There would be challenges in his life. Decisions must be made to glorify God. Temptations will be battled. Most days will end in victory, but the days of defeat will cost the most. David began his day in the morning with God. The morning is when the face opens to the grace of God, seeking His divine blessings. There is no better time than the first rays of sunlight gleaming on a new day to seek the Lord.

David promises God that he will petition him in the morning. His voice will be heard in the halls of the eternal presence of God. Everything in his life will be directed toward the Lord. Through prayer and devotion to the word of God, David tuned his heart to be ready for the day. As he walked through the activities of his life, he looked up to the Lord for guidance and direction. He begins this process in the morning so that he can thank God for his love and protection in the evening. Without the morning, there would be no joy in the evening.

The challenge for the child of God is to know the peace that comes when the day begins with God. Like David, many things consume our lives with busy schedules, kids going to school, tasks to be completed, projects to work on, and a lengthy list of things that overwhelm the soul. Beginning the morning without God is planning to fail. Satan is no different today than when he attacked David. The devil’s ploys are just as vicious now as they have always been. If a man leaves his home in the morning without putting on the armor of God (not sure why he would ever take it off), he will die, and he will die ugly.

Pray the prayer of David. Tell God He will hear your voice in the morning. Assure the Lord you will direct your life to His will on this day. Promise your Father that you will look to Him for guidance and direction as you go through your day. Talk to God throughout the day. Meditate on the word of God throughout the day from what you considered that morning. Spend the day seeking opportunities to glory God. Share your faith so that others can see Christ living in you. Begin the day in the morning with God. Then, God will carry you through your day.