MEETING GOD IN THE MORNING

MEETING GOD IN THE MORNING

Be ready in the morning, and come up . . . present
thyself there for me in the top of the mount. And
no man shall come with thee. (Exo. 34:2-3)

The morning watch is essential. You must not face the day until you have faced God, nor look into the face of others until you have looked into His.
You cannot expect to be victorious, if the day begins only in your own strength. Face the work of every day with the influence of a few thoughtful, quiet moments with your heart and God. Do not meet other people, even those of your own home, until you have first met the great Guest and honored Companion of your life—Jesus Christ.
Meet Him alone. Meet Him regularly. Meet Him with His open Book of counsel before you; and face the regular and the irregular duties of each day with the influence of His personality definitely controlling your every act.
The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early upon their knees. Matthew Henry used to be in his study at four, and remain there till eight; then after breakfast and family prayer, he used to be there again till noon; after dinner, he resumed his book or pen till four, and spent the rest of the day in visiting his friends.
Doddridge himself alludes to his “Family Expositor” as an example of the difference of rising between five and seven, which, in forty years, is nearly equivalent to ten years more of life. Dr. Adam Clark’s “Commentary” was chiefly prepared very early in the morning. Barnes’ popular and useful “Commentary” has been also the fruit of the “early morning hours.” Simeon’s “Sketches” were chiefly worked out between four and eight.

I have just quoted from the March 2 reading of Streams In The Desert, Vol. One, compiled by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman and first published in 1925. I am not familiar with all those men she mentioned who met God in the morning, but what a wonderful legacy to have. You may not be able to spend two hours early every morning in communion with God like Doddridge or nearly all the day as Matthew Henry, but couldn’t you spend the first part of your first hour of each day with the Lord? Just think, a half hour to an hour alone with God each morning is equivalent to spending three to five years of quality, one-on-one time with the Lord over forty years. No seminary education nor seminar of any kind could provide such a training ground for spiritual growth and maturity as your simply meeting God in the morning. Why the morning instead of having your devotional time at some other time of the day? Nothing will get your day going in the right direction more than spending time with the One who made the day and ordered your steps before you ever were (Eph. 2:10). Not only will it make a positive difference in the course of your day but what a phenomenal difference it will make over the course of your life.