A Prayer to Stretch Our Morning Minutes with God
By Meg Bucher
“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” - Hebrews 4:12
Even when the morning seems to slip away as I continue to hit ‘snooze,’ my spirit lightens as I descend the stairs to grind some beans and sit with the Lord. In the past, I would have skipped that time to squeeze in my morning run. But over the years, I’ve become too attached to our time together as a new day begins.
Hebrews 4:12 reminds me why I feel that way. The pull to come closer to God is put in us from the start. Paul reminded the Ephesians that even before God created the world, He loved us and chose us, in Christ, to be holy and blameless in His eyes (Ephesians 1:4 ). The Word of God is alive and powerful. Each day, He knows what we need and is faithful and compassionate to provide the encouragement and conviction we need for each day.
It does feel sharp some days, as He points out things I need to work on, confess, repent, and turn from. But I can also cry out to Him, even when I don’t know the words to express. It doesn’t matter...He already knows my innermost thoughts and desires. He is simply there with compassion in those moments, knowing how to care for my heart, mind, and soul.
“For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.” - 1 Peter 1:23
When we turn our lives over to Jesus, our lives begin anew. We can’t escape sin or the effects of it in this world…not completely. God is there to meet us in the mess and help us embrace godly joy, which helps the hope of Christ Jesus bloom in all circumstances of our lives, whether easy or difficult. The older I get, the more dependent I become on my quiet morning conversations with God through prayer and His Word. As the decades drift by and my daughters grow up, I cling to His promises of hope, joy, peace, and wisdom. He is faithful in replacing my scattered thoughts and schedules with His grand plan for the day and my life.
Let’s pray:
Father,
Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Jesus. Thank You for loving and choosing us before You created the world. We are so grateful to be so fully known by such a loving, faithful God. Sitting still with You in the morning makes little things more prominent. I love that You help us notice those things, God. Birds waking up and singing their songs, the sun rising in the sky to pierce the darkness with pink streams of light, the dew on the grass, and the slow and steady rise and shine of another day.
I love beginning the day with You. Help me, God, to carry Your presence and instruction with me throughout the day. Please help me finish each day well. Let everything I do bring glory to You and the things that don’t fall and fade away. Help me make time to meet You each morning and understand and obey what I read in Your word. Impress upon my heart Your directions and empower me to obey them with a joyful attitude. Stay with me throughout the day as the prominent morning sounds fade into the busyness we fill our time with. I confess that many times, I don’t end the day well. As I get tired, impatience sets in, and I find myself getting lazy where I should maintain diligence. Some days, I am so tired, God. I try to be all things for everyone and do my best for them. Please remind me to focus on You. Stop me when I start to focus on pleasing people instead of You.
Each day is filled with its own challenges and accomplishments, tasks and struggles. Help me to see the blessings You litter my days with, God. Fix my eyes on You. I pray to be someone who finishes what I start with the same gumption I start it with. Father, make me a good listener to You and the others around me. Help me to know who needs help, prayer, and a listening ear. Connect me with the people You have placed around me and teach me how to apply our morning conversations to those relationships. I love You so much, God, and I am grateful for every morning minute with You. Stretch them.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/pcess609
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