Generation Alpha, or the generation most of our children belong to, are no longer familiar with the real alarm clocks. We had the old school ones back then that you had to wind up before you sleep, and came with a thing that goes back and forth between the two bells to make a loud sound. Then there are the boxed-type battery-operated ones that have an almost irritating beeping sound.
Fast forward to today, almost everyone uses their mobile phone as an alarm clock. And by default for some who do not press the snooze button, checking their messages, social media feed, and emails is what automatically takes place as soon as they wake up.
As followers of Jesus, we are encouraged to seek God first before anything else. That His voice, and His words should be the first things that enter our mind as we start our day as communing with our Heavenly Father feeds our soul.
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8
Seeking God the moment we wake up shows our dependence on Him. Giving the Lord the first and best moments of our day will help us set our minds that there is a one true king who is sovereign above everything, who has good plans for us, and will never abandon us.
“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” Psalm 90:14
This dependence on the Lord is modeled for us by our Messiah Himself, Jesus Christ, who would routinely wake up very early in the morning to pray and seek His Father’s guidance. Who withdrew from the crowds, to commune with God, and spend time with Him in prayer.
“Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35
Likewise, Jesus Christ also sought the Lord through very long prayers before He made crucial decisions like when He was about to choose His 12 disciples. He also prayed fervently, earnestly, and repeatedly hours before His death, and then as He hung on the cross.
“Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:38-39
And so, if we will take a cue from Jesus, then we indeed should pray in all situations. That we should present to the Lord both our thanksgiving and requests with boldness, and humble ourselves in prayer each time we make mistakes or feel worried and anxious.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
And as we take the opportunity to thank the Lord for His blessings, say sorry for our mistakes the day before, worship and adore our Heavenly King, and seek His guidance and help, we should also take the time to listen back to what He has to say.
We will know what He wants to say to us by reading and reflecting on God’s word daily. His words can come to us too when we delight in His teachings, commands and stories by listening to sermons uploaded through podcasts and youtube, praise songs, books and devotionals.
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3
Let us make it a habit to give our first waking minutes with the Lord. We can start by waking up a bit earlier than usual, and by praying a five to ten minute prayer plus bible reading. We do not only do this during good times or in bad times, we should do this every day of our lives regardless of our situation. And as we get into the habit, we will be surprised we are spending more and more time with the Lord, and will sense His presence more and more..
Such a habit will help us follow God more, help protect us from temptation, and make us more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Habitual morning prayer devotion time will also help us to be kinder, more merciful, and gracious to others because we get to be reminded of the faithfulness of our Lord.
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord,” Jeremiah 29:12-14a
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Matthew 26:36-46 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Do you have a morning prayer routine? If none yet, what keeps you from doing it?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me the privilege to come to you anytime in prayer. Thank you for listening to me and assuring my heart that you will hear me and will not abandon me. Give me the grace to continue coming to you in prayer my Lord in both good times and in bad. Amen.
