Psalm 5:3 "In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."
In the morning... David makes a pretty good case for having time with the Lord every morning. I wonder why? Is it because in the morning, our minds are clear and free from the burdens that await us for the day? Is it because in the morning, we don't know what the day might hold, so we can fully commit it to God, before we get side-swiped by the day?
It's Sunday evening when I'm writing this, and let me just say I've had an emotional day. It started out with a great time of worship at church and our family even went to a worship team cookout-shindig. However, shortly after arriving home, it all went kind of south emotionally. No, not with me, but with others in the family. When a family member's heart is hurting, it pretty much zaps your emotion, you know? I am plum worn out, and I can't imagine trying to approach God with everything I have right now...because my tank is on empty. My brain is fried, and my eyes are heavy. I know everyone is different, but my vote is with David for prayer and Bible reading in the morning!
The verse for this week is two-fold. We need to come to God in the morning, but we need to have faith, too. It says we should wait in expectation. Three years ago this last week, God showed me an important lesson about faith, firsthand. In short, I had cancer. I had already had two surgeries, and I found out that the cancer had spread to my spine. On top of that, after the second surgery, I had lost my voice, which is a big deal for a singer.
While watching our daughters play volleyball, my friend Jennifer invited me to come to her church's "Night of Praise" the following Sunday. "I know you can't sing or participate right now, but just come let the Holy Spirit minister to you." Something in me told me I had to go. It wasn't even my home church at the time, but I knew God wanted me to go for a reason. It wasn't a holy-rollin' healing service. It was simply a night of worship. And worship I did. During the evening, we had an opportunity for those with needs to come forward and pray. One of my friends took me by the arm and pretty much said, "Come on. God is telling me to go pray over you." We went forward to the front of the church and knelt down. He prayed in faith and expectation that God would heal me. It wasn't a chant. It wasn't a repetitive prayer. It was simply calling on God's Power with the belief that He would heal me. While he was praying, I believed, too.
Something changed in me that night. Of course, I knew God was a God of miracles, but somehow, I didn't think He was going to do a miracle in me. But while my friend prayed over me, along with countless other friends I knew who were there, I felt the Holy Spirit's presence like I've never felt it before. My mind changed, from believing God was a God of miracles, to believing God would do a miracle...in me. I knew it that night. I knew I would be healed, whether in a miraculous way or through modern medicine, I wasn't sure...but I knew God was going to heal me. Sure enough, follow up scans showed no cancer at all. (I have a video posted on this blog of my Pastor interviewing me at "Night of Praise" one year later...he wasn't my pastor at the time, but he is now!)
I lay my requests before you, and I wait in expectation...
How many times do we pray words, without the mental expectation to go with them? Guilty as charged. I keep a prayer journal, and I pray for many of the same things every day. I pray for God's will. But somehow I think it's almost too bold or demanding to ask God to do miracles or have certain outcomes to my prayers. Yet, the Bible says that we should come boldly before the Throne of Grace. The verse this week is a good reminder to me about my prayer life. Sure, praying is talking to God, but it shouldn't just be words. There should be emotion behind the words, filled with expectancy.
Thank you, Lord, for the morning, memories, and miracles! May I always approach you with expectancy, like David!
---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com