Early Will I Seek You

My church group did something this past week that we haven't done in a long time.

We rose before the sun came up to meet together for prayer. And we did it every day for a week.

It strengthens you in a deep place to see your brothers and sisters rise and meet together before the rest of the world wakes up.

Well, maybe not the WHOLE world. I saw a video today of Morgan Spurlock's Thirty Days documentary, where he tosses a Christian from West Virginia into a practicing Muslim family in Dearborn, Michigan for a month. One of the first things we see is a flabbergasted guest witnessing the 5:30am prayer time that Muslims around the world observe. He was impressed. Most Christians can't imagine having a reason to rise so early just to pray.

But there's something about mornings. Just as the manna came down first thing in the morning, and you had to gather it right then, so there is something that happens in the morning inside your own soul. There is an opportunity to gather up your insides and place them in the presence of God. There is a chance to be with Him in a way that will be hard to accomplish for the rest of the day.

Don't get me wrong: His presence can be known the rest of the day, too. His presence can be "practiced" anywhere and anytime. He goes with us wherever we go. But when it's still dark outside, and the kids are still snoozing, the world around you is, as the Celts would say, thinner. It's easier to focus your attention and speak with the Lord.

And another thing I noticed: After a week of rising and doing this with my church, I find it much easier to refocus my attention back to the Lord at all the other times, too.

It's like your spirit is getting exercise.

I'm sure this is old news to people who have been doing this for years. But I'm one of those people that has to experience something myself or else I don't really believe it.

Now if I can just remember it.

I'll still have four energetic little angels at home that need my attention whenever I've got a free moment. And work and projects still demand so much of my attention that my spirit isn't getting nearly enough "exercise." But I see the value of what I'm missing, and that's a start.

I feel no condemnation about whether or not I'm using this discovery enough--guilt is a very inefficient motivator, you know. Makes you spin your wheels for little benefit. But with renewed mind, I will set my face in this direction:

Early will I Seek You.