I enjoy the quiet mornings by myself after Ryan leaves for work. Today, especially, because the rain clouds outside have not only darkened the outside and dropped their contents in my less than thriving garden. They darkened the inside of my house, too, which draws my eyes to the windows where I can watch the droplets hanging from the heavy leaves and the wind stirs the tallest trees, whispering secrets to them that only few can hear.
Although I enjoy the mornings, I wouldn't call myself a 'morning person.' the only thing that draws me out of my sweet slumber is the promise of a strong, black cup of coffee and the cover of a darkened morning. Ask Ryan. I do not like having lights turned on in any way in the mornings. It's a harsh awakening to my sleepy eyes, who prefer to wake up at whatever speed the caffeine enters my bloodstream. This morning I had to have the light over the stove on to be able to write this and to read my Bible. Natural light is just easier on the eyes than the harsher inside lights.
It's in these quiet mornings with my steaming (room temperature) cup of coffee and my attention-seeking cats that I like to spend my alone time with God. I've written before about this time when I feel God has opened my eyes to something I needed to hear or see about my life. When it's obvious that God has called someone to specifically write something for me to hear, I want to share it because chances are I'm not the only one who needs to hear it.
I read Psalm 11 today and a devotional from First 5, so that's where we're starting. Here we're reading about David claiming God as his refuge in a crisis and crying out to God for help. Scripture doesn't specify what the circumstances were that made David feel backed into a corner by his adversaries, but it's clear that he's desperate. The interesting thing to me is David didn't know what to do (When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? v. 3),but at the very beginning of his psalm he answers his own question: I have taken refuge in the Lord (v. 1). The Lord listens to the righteous of heart and "will put the one who longs for it in a safe place" (Psalm 12:5). The Lord is David's safety. His protection in the crisis he's facing. The writer of the devotional this morning, Ann Swindell, also pointed out that David's cry to the Lord did not change his circumstances, but it did help change his perspective on the situation. As the author put it, this was not the end of David's story.
Shifting our perspective to be Christ-focused rather than crisis-focused will help us remember that God is in control of every situation we find ourselves in. Whether that's searching for a job, just trying to make it through school, or whatever you're experiencing in your life right now. God promises that the upright will see His face one day, and when that comes none of those worries we have today will matter. The next time you feel stressed about something, remember that your loving, heavenly Father is in control of that situation, whatever it may be. Find some comfort in knowing that none of the anxiety, worry, stress or burdens you're facing right now have the final say in anything. SPOILER ALERT: The battle's already been won. If you skip to the end, Jesus is victorious. That's all you need to remember. That's all you need to hold on to. Tuck it away inside your heart, and when you begin to feel the pressure rising or backed into a corner, remember Jesus is victorious. He has already fought your battles for you. Trust Him.
This is actually being posted a day after I wrote it, so the clouds this morning are not quite so dark, letting the light through. I have reheated my coffee so my last sip won't be shockingly cold. My cats have begun roaming after laying in the windowsills watching for the stray neighborhood cats outside.
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