Early Riser

Enjoy!

“Oh Lord be gracious to us; we have waited for You. Be their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.” – Isaiah 33:2

Isaiah chapter 33 focuses on the turmoil faced by Judah and Jerusalem by Sennacherib’s invasion. In this verse, the prophet lifts up his voice to the Lord, as he contemplated the judgement that was about to come upon the Jews. The arm symbolises strength, it is used throughout scripture as an emblem of divine protection. He prayed this way because God had already given him the prophecy concerning the invasion.

The bible warns us that we are going to be attacked by the enemy, 1 Peter 5:8, says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” Therefore, like Isaiah, we should ask God to be gracious to us, and protect us from the wiles of Satan.

The scripture says, “Be their arm every morning,” we must start our day prayerfully asking for Gods protection and guidance. Communion with a God that we cannot see does not come naturally, it is a habit that we must cultivate. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to be disciplined in every area of our life Click To TweetAs disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to be disciplined in every area of our life, most importantly in our prayer life. Prior to Jesus crucifixion, and Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane with his disciples, He told them to, “Watch and pray,” but when He came back, He found them asleep. Jesus said “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:40-41).

The enemy is constantly watching, waiting to attack us in our areas of weakness, unless the spirit is stronger than the flesh we will fall. One way to strengthen the spirit is through prayer. As soon as we open our eyes in the morning, the devil is looking for an opportunity to assail, if we arm ourselves with strength for the battle in the early hours, we will have the power to stand against the devices of Satan. All of the prominent men and women in the bible sought God in the morning, David said, “Early will I seek thee” – Psalms 63:1. “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” – Mark 1:35

Waking up an hour before you’ve got to leave the house and saying a two minute prayer while you are on your way out of the door is not going to cut it. Go to bed early, and rise early so you can sit in the presence of the Lord before you go on your way.

There is an special union that takes place when you give God your time first thing in the morning. Become an early riser, and experience a new depth in your relationship with Christ.

May God bless the hearers and the doers of His word.