Good Morning Early Morning

The early morning is a time of reflection before the heat of the day begins to bear down upon us. Life is filled with the progress of industry as we go to our jobs, get kids ready for school or summer activities, vacations, recreation and daily chores of another day. Seldom do we have time during the day to reflect upon the world about us and take in the grandeur of God's incredible beauty. This is how life is made and we need a time to pause and reflect. I remember James Dobson telling the story of his dad waking him in the early morning before dawn and driving some distance to a place in the woods. They trekked along a trail until coming to a log where his dad stopped and waited with his son telling him, "I want to show you something." And then in the magic of morning the sun rose over the horizon bursting through the clouds in the tapestry of God's hand upon creation. The point Dobson's father wanted to make to his son is there is a time to remember who we are and whom our Creator is. As I sit in my back patio with the early morning sounds of nature singing and life beginning to stir it reminds me that life is not so much about the hurried pace of where my feet can travel today but where my heart will find itself at the end of the day. God is in the morning and God needs to be in my day. He has created our world in a finite manner of order and beauty. The rain comes by his hand and the sun rises and sets by His law. We are only a small part of this rock that revolves through the heavens around the sun. In ancient day men thought the earth was the center of the universe and contrary to science proving otherwise; we still think we are the center of the universe.

I like what Elihu said: 

Behold, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him? Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, 'You have done wrong'? "Remember to extol his work, of which men have sung. All mankind has looked on it; man beholds it from afar. Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable. For he draws up the drops of water; they distill his mist in rain, which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly. Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion? Behold, he scatters his lightning about him and covers the roots of the sea. For by these he judges peoples; he gives food in abundance. He covers his hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark. Its crashing declares his presence; the cattle also declare that he rises. (Job 36:22-33)

"Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God. Do you know how God lays his command upon them and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine? Do you know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge, you whose garments are hot when the earth is still because of the south wind? Can you, like him, spread out the skies, hard as a cast metal mirror? Teach us what we shall say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of darkness. Shall it be told him that I would speak? Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up? "And now no one looks on the light when it is bright in the skies, when the wind has passed and cleared them. Out of the north comes golden splendor; God is clothed with awesome majesty. The Almighty--we cannot find him; he is great in power; justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate. Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit." (Job 37:14-24).

It is important we take time to spend with God whether it be early morning, a quiet repose during the day, the brillance of a setting sun or the blanket of night to remove our own conceit and acknowledge how great and awesome the Creator of this world is. Good morning world. Thank you Father.