Lost In Awe
Mornings have never been my friend. I always told myself I am just not a morning person. I generally feel most awake as I head into the evenings. For example, I would rather go for a run at 9:00 pm then 9:00 am.
Even so, I have always envied the person that rises early and starts their day slowly – a cup of coffee, maybe reading or watching the sun rise. Over the years I have asked myself again and again why getting out of bed is such a challenge for me. Every morning as I awaken, the thoughts of the day flow into my mind and I just want to keep the covers pulled up and stay in bed.
Sometimes I wonder if Jesus was a morning person. I believe we may think He was as the Bible talks more than once about Him rising early, going off by Himself and praying. For example we read in Mark 1:35:
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.”
I wonder if this came easy to Him? The Bible doesn’t say. What we do know is He lived a very busy demanding life. Crowds of people followed Him everywhere begging for Him to teach them. Religious leader despised Him, enough to eventually have Him killed. This for sure puts my morning “do not want to face the day” thoughts into perspective.
As I consider this and look for a solution, I wonder when the last time was I truly soaked in and reveled in God’s tremendous love and amazing works. I am sure it’s been a very long time.
I was reminded recently of a well-known verse which says:
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
This was Jesus speaking to the eleven in the Upper room during the last supper shortly before He was put to death.
Ponder this:
- Only Jesus has this kind of love.
- Only Jesus demonstrated this love.
- Only this love can complete us.
If this isn’t sufficient to inspire awe, think about this:
- The God of the universe loves us!
That fact is incredible!!! Read it again and again letting this reality speak to your heart and head.
Abraham Joshua Heschel sums it up like this: “Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement…get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.”
These are the words I intend to use to inspire me each morning to focus on what truth is absolutely the most important. I intend to also remind myself this far outweighs any other possible thoughts that run through my head.
I suspect I will continue to admire all the morning people as I strive to reshape my habits to focus on losing myself in being in awe of what truly matters.
JW