If you see me awake before the sunrises and I’m not sucking down some caffeine, don’t walk, just run! I have never been a morning person. I never understood “those people” who woke up before the sun was up to work out, to read the Bible, or to pray. There is plenty of time to do those things, why wake up at the crack of dawn? Personally, I don’t want to hear from anyone before my first cup of Earl Grey tea, not even God. My personal opinion is that if He has something to tell me, the God of the Universe can surely do it around 2 pm.
However, as my kids got older and my days filled, somehow I kept missing my 2 pm appointment with the King of Kings. I began to notice that my spiritual life wasn’t growing. I was uneasy in my soul, and God felt far away. I prayed for more margin in my life, for God to show me how to set my priorities. I desired to put Him first.
Well, God acted fast! A few days after that, I woke up at 5:57 a.m. I thought it was a joke, so naturally, I turned over and went back to sleep. The next morning, my eyes popped open at 5:57. Ugh! A lesson in prayer: Be careful what you pray for and be really specific in your petitions.
When this 5:57 wake-up call happened 4 days in a row, I knew God was serious. First, I asked God, why 5:57. Really, why? Was it some Biblical End Times numerological code? Because me getting up at 5:57 a.m. is a sign of the end times.
Like a stubborn child, I fought the early wake-up call for a few more days. Then came the revelation! God was giving me what I asked for; I was just too bleary eyed to notice. I thanked Him for the answered prayer; however, I did ask if I could renegotiate the time. After my specific prayers of asking to sleep until 7 a.m., God, who is merciful, let me sleep for another hour. I woke up at 6:57 a.m. from then on.
As this became my routine, I began to look forward to my early morning wake up call, my sacred appointment with God, my Bible, and a cup of Earl Grey. I went to bed excited to wake up early the next morning. I couldn’t wait to hear how God would speak to me through His Word.
However, I noticed that on the days when I overslept and missed my divine appointment, my mind was scattered and I felt anything but peaceful. When I grabbed my phone before my Bible, the Word didn’t sink in as deeply, and I’d feel guilty that I chose to read an Instagram meme before the Word of God.
I’ve learned some of the reasons why God calls us to spend time with Him in the morning. These divine appointments set the tone for the rest of our day. He’s been giving His people early morning wake-up calls since the beginning. When important decisions were to be made or essential activities needed to be accomplished, the Bible shows us that God’s people rose early to get their business done.
Genesis 22:3 “So Abraham rose early in the morning… ” Abraham rose early to carry out God’s plan.
Genesis 28:18 “Early the next morning, Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.” Jacob got out of his not so comfy bed to mark the place he called “the gate of Heaven” from a dream he had the night before.
Exodus 24:4 “Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel.” Moses got up early to do what God told him to do the night before.
Psalm 5:3 “In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning, I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.” David gave God his first thoughts of the day.
Jesus also models early morning rising numerous times in the New Testament. Part of Jesus's focus, power, and wisdom come from spending time with His Father as the first thing in the day.
Mark 1:35 “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” Jesus models for us the intentional process of spending time with God.
Luke 4:42 “At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him, and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them.” Before the pull of the day’s activities, Jesus made it a priority to spend some time alone.
Luke 21:37-38 “Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.” People coming early suggests an eagerness to want to be filled with His teachings.
God’s voice can reach our minds more easily in the morning. It is easier to hear God’s voice because our minds are not cluttered from the day yet. There is a holy hush at daybreak, a stillness in the air. So, God’s got our attention.
Scripture is intentional, so if it mentions early morning wake-up calls, we should take notice. In waking early, we are giving God our first fruits and modeling Christ by allowing Him to shape our thoughts as we start the day. Intentionally create space to refill and renew your spiritual and mental cups of Earl Grey. Begin each day by allowing God to fill you.
If it’s good enough for the Old Testament greats and God Incarnate, why don’t we follow their example? Don’t hit the snooze alarm. Grab your Bible and not your phone. Make God first and see how He moves throughout your day.
