Some of you may have seen my recent Facebook posts about the early morning sky. The planets Venus, Jupiter, and Mars moved into a nice conjunction just this morning, and even elusive Mercury is visible (for a few more days, as I write this) just before dawn. Venus and Jupiter, as the 3rd and 4th brightest objects in the sky, respectively, will move further apart in the sky but still make for a spectacular viewing experience in those pre-dawn hours, and this is enhanced by the Big Dipper (I know, I know, Ursa Major, okay?) just to the north and the constellation Orion and the star Sirius (5th brightest object) to the south. If you are into astronomy or simply dig looking at the stars at night, it is worth getting up early for. And if you are an early riser already, it is worth going outside for.
It was kind of chilly this morning, and has been several mornings as I stand in the driveway, coffee in hand, staring at the sky. And it’s nothing earth-shattering or momentous in any way. No comet, no meteor shower. Just the planets and stars and a scene that changes little morning by morning. I know what I’m going to see, and I still want to see it, practically every morning. I happen to be an early riser, which works out great. But I’ve been known to set an alarm to wake me in the middle of the night to catch a meteor shower. Because these things are only visible at certain times. You want to see four planets at once? You gotta get up early.
Looking for a spiritual application? You should be; this isn’t an astronomy blog, you know. The first part of Psalm 63:1 says “O God, you are my God; early will I seek you;” . . . And this isn’t the only scriptural reference to seeking God early in the morning. Jesus Himself rose a great while before day to pray. Here’s the thing, though. It’s not like God is only available first thing in the morning; that’s not my point. My point is, He is worth waking up for. If you are having trouble finding time, or making time, to spend in the Word and in prayer, the best advice I can give you is to wake up earlier. You don’t have to wake up at 3 in the morning. Try getting up 15 minutes earlier than normal and giving that time to the Lord.
Remember what we recently read in Deuteronomy? Our attention to the word of God is not just a once-a-day thing (when you rise up, when you walk by the way, when you lie down . . . ) And I know many of you who feel more mentally acute in the late evening than in the early morning, so you choose that time of day for devotional reading and prayer. There’s nothing wrong with that! But consider the benefits of starting your day that way, too. Typically, the distractions are fewer in the quiet hours before daybreak. Plus, there is the principle of giving the first part of the day to God and seeking His blessing on the rest of it. Check out a guy named Jim Tour. He’s a top-tier chemist at Rice University who has done groundbreaking work in nano-technology. He begins every day with two hours of Bible reading and medi-tation and expects God to speak to him through His word every day, and not just about spiritual stuff. He is utterly convinced that it is this time with God and His word in the mornings that it directly responsible for his academic successes.
Don’t get religious about it. Don’t get formulaic. This is a relationship, remember. God loves you and desires that time with you. It is not our suc-cess that should be the focus of our time with Him, but God Himself. The view to the east is worth getting up early for. The One who created that view is infinitely more worth it.
