Last year, I faced one big challenge in our family – waking my daughter up for school. We tried threats and treats but to no avail. To make things worse, she’s as grumpy as her dad. So each morning, we find ourselves literally scrambling our way from home to her school, which is thankfully just across the street where we live.
At the start of the year, a miracle happened. She woke up on her own, got ready and waited for us to walk her to school before sunrise. It got me worried and asking why she wanted to go to school so early. Was she afraid of punishment for being late or did she want to be with her friends who were early?
When asked, she simply pointed to a wall plaque which said, “The miracle of God is seen in every sunrise.” Aha! It was one of those teachable moments Father God was speaking to me through this prophetic word from my daughter.
I was reminded of the wonderful principle Pastor Yang gave in a sermon – ‘Give God the first hour of the day, the first day of the week, the first cheque of the month, the first consideration of every decision, and the first place in your heart.’ I knew God was speaking about my first hour.
My reasoning to Him was, “You’ve my first thought and words – ‘Good morning, Holy Spirit’”, but my first hour would be a logistical challenge as I’d to prepare breakfast, take the girls to school, etc…” My final excuse? “I’m not a morning person!”
I needed a morning miracle, just like my daughter.
Tim Cook wakes up at 3.45am; Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi gets up at 4am; Disney CEO Bob Iger is a 4.30am kind of guy; and a man of God whom I know wakes up at 4.45am to pray. I’ve read countless self-help books on successful people who belong to the ‘5am Club’. Alas, my spirit is willing but my flesh is weak.
God is an early riser. The Bible is full of references of His prophets and saints rising early to pray or hear His voice. Soldiers must be ever alert and ready to respond to orders. God speaks to – and through – His servants early in the morning.
Listen to how the Lord instructed His prophets. To Jeremiah, He said, “I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking” (Jeremiah 7:13). In Isaiah we read, ‘He wakes me up in the morning, wakes me up, opens my ears to listen as one ready to take orders’ (Isaiah 50:4-5).
Jesus modelled for us that ‘morning person’, ‘Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left [the house], and went out to a secluded place, and was praying there.’ (Mark 1:35)
God knows the end from the beginning and He knows everything in between. Those are the things that He wants to reveal to you.
Job 38:12-13 reveals God’s interesting conversation with Job. At one point, God asked Job, “Where were you … when the morning stars sang together?” (v 4,7). He further inquired, “Have you commanded the morning since your days began?” (v12).
In a sense, God was saying, “Have you thought about speaking into your morning and bringing order into your day?” Perhaps this is a key He’s showing us, in ordering our day by the power of decree.
‘You will pray to Him, and He will hear you; And you will pay your vows. You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And light will shine on your ways.’ Job 22:27-28
Light is not only the absence of darkness, but it’s also the yoke-breaking Presence of God, the liberating essence of faith, and the mind-transforming potential of every revelation of God. It’s all that’s good within and among us. All good things find their beginnings in Him, and without Him nothing exists. Every new day with God brings the dawn of new and better possibilities.
God wants to give you a prophetic jump-start to your day. Tap into His best will by rising early to spend time in His Presence. Let the Lord fill your heart with His peace and joy, stand firm on His promises, and get His Word in you so that you can declare His decree – on earth as in heaven.
Let’s start each day with the morning miracle, receiving His love and mercies. As the song goes:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning, new every morning
Great is your faithfulness.
