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Gifts; 6:00 A.M.

"The weather today will be..." states a baritone voice, but that's as far as he gets because I've already switched the alarm clock off. Not snooze. Off. Rolling over, I mutter "please Lord, help me love mornings like You love mornings" then I sit up in the dark, rub my eyes, and stumble to the kitchen to turn on the kettle for a cup of tea. 

It's 6:00 A.M.

And it's the same every weekday morning.

Mornings are becoming one of my favorite parts of the day...but I'm not going to lie, from 6:00-6:10 I wonder repeatedly why I bothered to get up at all because the bed was so warm and I don't have to leave for work for another two hours. 

But then I sit on the couch with my Bible and prayer journal and I spend time with God. And all of a sudden the darkness outside and the chill inside pale in comparison to being with my Redeemer and King. No, it is not always fun (in fact it rarely is) but there is an incredible blessing bestowed upon my soul when I am faithful to meet with my Beloved. 



Praising God is difficult when my brain is still muddled from sleep. But I ask for help and I know that though my prayer is not holy, the Spirit makes it holy and acceptable to God. 

Confessing sin is heavy. Sin is heavy. When I look back over my journal it's filled with confession of the same sins. Every. Single. Day. Why would God forgive me? But He does. Because He loves me. Because Jesus has taken my place. 

Thanksgiving means remembering. Remembering what the Lord has done and Who He is. Remembering things we call "good" and "bad" because both are held in God's providence, which is good, wise, and oh so full of love. So thanksgiving means praising Him for the green lights on the way to work and the stubbed toe in the kitchen.

Requests are often short and sweet because time is ticking. Requests for my church, for the church universal, my family, the kids, friends, myself, the government, and whatever/whoever else God lays on my heart. 

The Bible on my lap holds promises and rebukes. It speaks ultimate truth and reveals the wickedness of my sin compared to my thrice holy God. Reading it, memorizing it, filling my mind and heart with the Word of God. 

By the time my clock (and stomach) remind me that I should eat breakfast, I can leave my couch knowing that I have been fed by the Bread of Life, I have read wisdom from a man wiser than I (usually a Puritan), I have sung praises to the King of Heaven, and I have spoken with God Himself. I don't always leave feeling warm and ready, sometimes I leave feeling sad, with a weight in my heart, but I do always leave knowing God better and longing for more of Him. 

So. Even though when the alarm goes off at 6:00 my greatest desire is to hit snooze and go back to sleep, by 7:00 I am always thankful I got up. Am I often very tired first thing in the morning? Yes. Do I dislike my alarm going off? Oh, yes. Does it mean I leave events earlier than normal at night so I can get enough sleep? Yes. Is it even worth loosing over an hour of sleep? Yes. 

Because before the spiritual battle of the day, my Commander has provided me with all  I need to fight in His army. And I dare not go into the fight without the armor, power, and blessing of my King. 



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