God made us in His own image, so it’s up to us to make the most of our gifts and seek a right relationship with our holy creator.”
–John Deacon (Conn)
“The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”
–Romans 8:6 (NIV)
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Two quick thoughts–one positive, the other a little on the negative side. The positive–as I have written often, I try to never miss a sunrise. There is something about a new day, the opportunities that lay within it besides the wondrous artistic work of the Holy Spirit. There is a freshness, a wonder, and a comfort knowing that God is there with me through each moment of the day. “Each morning provides an opportunity for renewed spiritual awakenings. Every believer can come to Christ anew and find His presence refreshing.” (Philip Comfort) It is a time to reflect on the love of God for Jeremiah tells us, “Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day.” (Lamentations 3:23, NLT)
The negative aspect is that my feeble brain struggles with poetry. Always did, still does. Oh I can handle the little Ogden Nash poem, “Fleas,” which states, “Adam, Had ’em,” but so much I really have to focus and concentrate when I read. Once in a while, however, there is one that I can grasp and this one fits this morning‘s writing. It was written around 1827 by John Keble.
Mornin Hymn
New every morning is the love
Our wakening and uprising prove;
Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
Restored to life, and power, and thought.
New mercies, each returning day,
Hover around us while we pray;
New perils past, new sins forgiven,
New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.
If, on our daily course, our mind
Be set to hallow all we find,
New treasures still, of countless price,
God will provide for sacrifice.
The trivial round, the common task,
Will furnish all we ought to ask;
Room to deny ourselves, a road
To bring us daily nearer to God.
Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
Fit us for perfect rest above;
And help us this and every day
To live more nearly as we pray.
To waken each morning is a gift from God, yet do we see it that way? We should devote and dedicate the day to the Lord and our lives to it. All should be done to His glory, therefore, we should not dread the so-called mundane chores–those tasks of everyday life–but we can commune with God while carrying out our duties and be a good steward by doing them with excellence. Dread doing the dishes, thank God that you have them and a sink and water to wash them. Dread washing clothes, thank God that you have them to wear, and that you have the modern conveniences of cleaning them. Get the picture?
Let me close with these poignant words by Philip Comfort. “As we awake each day, we can decide from the start to live for Christ, refusing to waste the day complaining or living for self-fulfillment. By turning our heart and mind to Christ, we will not only gain a fresh knowledge of God but also mature in our faith and relationship with Him.”