BEFORE DAWN - I CALL Psalm 119:145-152 (God's Alphabet Song of Truth-QOPH) #19

I rise before dawn and cry for help;

I hope in Your words

There's something special about getting up before everyone else does, before the chaos of the day begins, and coming face to face with the One who holds your breath in His hands.

With my whole heart I cry, answer me O Lord

I will keep Your statutes.

Apparently, Jesus himself did this, more often than his disciples perhaps noticed.  One morning, he was ahead of the day, praying, and his disciples came hunting.  "Everyone is looking for you!" they said.  But His Father had already given him the agenda.  "Lets get to the next towns," (Mark 1:38).  "They need to hear the good news as well."

My eyes are awake before the watches of the night

that I may meditate on Your promise.

It's a good thing to read Scripture before you lay your head down on the pillow.  Last-of-the-day thoughts can become nocturnal meditations.  I find myself awakened sometimes in the middle of the night with something of value having happened while asleep.  Something gelled.  Insight was granted by the Spirit.  A fresh understanding offered.

Hear my voice according to Your steadfast love;

O Lord, according to your justice give me life.

We know that somewhere in our day, we'll face some injustice, great or small.  Bothersome nonetheless.  Someone is likely to mistreat another.  Self-serving decisions will sting.  Someone will not be held accountable.  Rather than complain, we bring those things to the Lord.  We replace hurt with thanksgiving.  Our life comes from Him, not others.  Nor from the expectation that life will be fair.

But You are near, O Lord,

and all your commandments are true

Long have I known from Your testimonies

that You have founded them forever.

In the morning, we can remember that God will not leave us today.  That God's commandments can pilot our way through a maze of challenges.  Our enemy has tactics and methods he'll throw at us, but the timeless testimonies of God about what is right and wrong, true and false, wise and unwise, provide escapes to the paths of life.  

Early, before dawn, ahead of the crowd.  That's the time to set your compass again on True North.  To give voice to your questions and challenges.  To embrace your Father's agenda for the day.

Before dawn...