Start Out Like You Want to Finish
Psalm 5:1-3
Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my groaning. Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God. For to You I pray. In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.
When I was young and starting out in ministry, I was given some advice that, to this day, I have not forgotten. A wise lady told me to “start out like you want to finish.” In other words, consider how you want to finish your ministry, and start out that way. I have never forgotten that counsel, and to this day, I consider it wisdom for me to claim.
I have also discovered something else about this counsel. Not only is it good practice in my work, but it is also a good practice for my daily life. If you want to end your day loving Jesus, serving Jesus, following God, obeying God’s Word and cleansed from sin then you must begin your day the same way. If you want to end your day with God, then you must begin your day with God.
David, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, had this to say in vs. 7 about meeting God each morning, “But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house, at Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You.” David was confident that when he came before God each morning, that God would hear him when he prayed. David was confident that when he went to meet God, that God was already waiting on him. What a wonderful truth! When we awake each morning, our God is already waiting for us. He watched over us while we slept and He is looking forward to a day with us. We can be confident when we meet God to begin the day, He is already waiting on us.
Why is meeting God each day a priority? What is it about meeting God each morning that is so important? Here are a few reasons, right out of Psalm 5.
Evil is waiting - but so is holiness. Now that may not sound very hopeful, however the truth is that evil is always lurking around the corner, waiting to cause us to stumble and fall into sin. Have you ever noticed that you don’t have to look hard to find a situation that trips you up? Some versions of Matthew 6:34 say, “sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” And although this is true, a much more encouraging truth is that God, in whom there is no evil at all, is also waiting for you. In Psalm 5:4 the Bible says, “no evil dwells in You.” That simply means with God, there is no evil. He is holy. The thought of evil waiting for us is intimidating; but thank you, Jesus, that You are waiting for us. That is just plain hopeful and encouraging! So I encourage you to hear from God first thing each morning to counter the evil that is surrounding you.
Enemies are waiting - but so is victory. According to vs. 8 David prayed, “O LORD, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes.” If you think back to the accounts of David's life in 1 and 2 Samuel, you will remember he had many enemies. Other nations considered David an enemy. Goliath considered David an enemy. Saul, Israel’s own king, considered David an enemy. Most of us don’t like the thought of having enemies. However, because of our relationship with Jesus, we have enemies, too. Some of those are flesh and blood, and certainly the devil, himself, is our enemy. Psalm 5 tells us that our enemies are out for our destruction. When we meet God early in the morning, He leads us in victory over our enemies. Do you want to walk the victorious path of God? Then meet Him in the morning.
Discouragement is waiting - but so is enjoyment. Yes, you read that right! Psalm 5:11 says, “But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy.” While it is true that evil and enemies are awaiting and can discourage us, it is also true that God’s plan for us is to enjoy Him and the blessings He has for us. Consider this question for a moment, “Are you really enjoying the fellowship you have with God?” Are you enjoying His shelter? His blessings? His righteousness?
According to vs. 12 God surrounds us with His favor. What a beautiful picture of God reaching down to His children, protecting us from evil and surrounding us with His grace and mercy. And all of this is available to us each and every day. So I encourage you to hear from God each morning and enjoy all He is and all He has for you.
How Can I Hear From God
Begin each day in God’s Word. Read a portion of the Psalms each day.
Take time to journal what God shows you from His Word. You will be amazed at how journaling will deepen your fellowship with Christ.
Write out your prayer requests to God in that journal. Write out your burdens, your requests and your joys.
Take a Moment
For the next few weeks, we will be “Meeting God in the Psalms” together. Would you take a moment and pass this blog along to someone you know that might need an encouraging word? And I would love to hear from you so that I can pray for you, or for them, as well!