FOODFORTHOUGHT

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up,
left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."
Mark 1:35

I'd like to begin this "thought for the day" with a little poem: I
was up before dawn,Took a prayer walk after a storm,Saw a man pull
out of his driveway,With his cell earphone on.

Oh well, its not much of a poem is it? But, the story continues. I
wondered that beautiful weekday morning, "who could that man
possibly be talking to so early in the day?" Was it his lawyer, his
jogging buddy or maybe his assistant back at work? Or, maybe he saw
something dreadful in the news about the stock market and he was
connecting with his broker for advice. And then I wondered, "has he
spoken to the most important person of all yet this morning: God?"

Many a day, we just jump out of bed (or roll out depending on
whether you are a morning person or not) and get ready to do
whatever our calendars say we should be doing. Maybe it's a workday
and you're already running dreadfully late. Or, perhaps we're
reveling in the sweet relief of a lazy Saturday morning with not a
thing planned! Either way, we should consider how we start each day
and that annoying thing called our "day timer". Never forget, God is
our ultimate day timer each day. He plans out each of our days and
every detail that goes into them. He knows the people you are going
to meet, the words you are going to say and He notices the time
spent away from Him. He knows when you are feeling great and when
you are hurting. So why not ask Him to order your day each morning?
Let Him prioritize your calendar and guide you to obey His schedule.

When you opened your eyes this morning, did you welcome the idea
that Jesus had been watching over you all night long and that His
angels were posted at your bedside? Did you thank Him for the
breaths you filled your lungs with as you awoke? Did you praise Him
for a refreshing night's sleep, filled with sweet dreams dancing in
your head?

How about when the first ray of sunlight crept into your window? Did
you turn over in disgust that it was morning, or welcome the beauty
of the sunrise? How awesome God is to provide a welcome sign each
day as a reminder of the intricacy of His mighty power. He shows us
His love every minute of every day through blessing upon blessing.

When you arise each morning, may you ask God to order your day! Be
sure to claim every word you say in prayer to your Almighty Father
and open your eyes to see His magnificent handiwork in all things.
Unlike the man in the beginning of this story, we dont need a phone
or headset to call upon our Lord.

Contributed by Diane Check. Diane has enjoyed writing short
morning "thoughts for the day" for associates at her insurance
company for the past few years. She lives in Doylestown,
Pennsylvania, with her husband and eleven-year old son. She is
currently working on her first prayer devotional.

PRAYER
"Lord Jesus, our Savior, let us now come to you: Our hearts are cold; Lord, warm them with your selfless love. Our hearts are sinful; cleanse them with your precious blood. Our hearts are weak; strengthen them with your joyous Spirit. Our hearts are empty; fill them with your divine presence. Lord Jesus, our hearts are yours; possess them always and only for yourself." (Prayer of Augustine, 354-430)

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