May We Allow God to Awaken Us Each Morning
“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you,
(Colossians 3: 16 NASB 1995 Translation)
with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
- I remember walking into the brick-and-mortar store in Lexington, hoping I would find that which I sought. I did. That was the year when I turned 50.
- I remember purchasing a birthday gift for myself, replacing an older for the “new.”
- I remember how I received the “older” as a gift when I was dating my “now” husband.
- I remember how (when I turned 50), I wanted to replace the “older” one I had carried since 1984.
- I remember purchasing a new Bible for myself, & I also remember how I allowed myself to move from one translation to a new-to-me translation.
That was in 2016.
That was seven years ago.
Since that 50th year, I have “gifted” myself numerous times with a brand-new Bible. At first, I struggled to give up my older, more-comfortable copy, the one already marked, highlighted, and made notes in the margin as I studied. For several weeks, after my initial purchase, my “older” translation lay beside my blue chair where I sat each day to study. Today, as I write, I see my “older” Bible laying there, on the table, within reach, ready to return to if the need arises.
Now I must be honest, at first, when I bought my first brand-new Bible at age 50, I found myself returning time & again to my “older” Bible. Then as weeks passed by that year, I found myself returning less, and soon enough, I was able to put the “older” one safely away in the cabinet.
When my husband and I created our will years ago, I was not really sure what I wished to bequeath to my daughters.
Then I knew!
My stack of Bibles has grown, and when my dear niece approached me earlier this year about borrowing my Bible, I knew WHO would be my first daughter.
This year, I turn 57.
- Yes, my “new” Bible has been purchased & in fact, I carried it with me to church on Wednesday night.
- Yes, my “older” Bible sits there, on the table, within reach, ready to return to if the need arises.
- Yes, my “new” Bible contains pages & pages where I can make new notes as Jesus teaches me what He would have me know.
- Yes, I am MOST EXCITED to begin!
As I embark on this new year of life, I know that I will find myself returning less & less to my “older” copy of God’s Word. Soon, I will be able to put the “older” one safely away in the cabinet to await my daughters. True, they may not know what to do with all the copies (since I hope to live until the age of 103), but maybe they will find a good home for them. Whatever they decide to do with these many copies of God’s Word, I know with certainty that Jesus will teach me day-by-day & verse-by-verse the many teachings He desires for me to know.
For that I am most grateful.
In studying this morning, the book of Isaiah was where God planted me. The prophet Isaiah was a man who listened and followed the LORD. Isaiah wrote under God’s direction these verses:
“The Lord GOD has given Me
(Isaiah 50: 4-5 NASB 1995 Translation)
the tongue of disciples,
That I may know how to sustain the
weary one with a word.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a
disciple.
The Lord GOD has opened My ear;
And I was not disobedient
Nor did I turn back.”
- Do we desire God’s attention?
- Do we have a prayer need we need to bring to the Lord?
- Do we have a situation that only our Father can heal?
In contemplating the way a person learns anything new, we are reminded how we must be immersed daily if the Lord’s teaching is to SATURATE OUR BEING!
- Let us stand upon God’s Word.
- Let us stand upon God’s Word, and as we do, our Father hears our requests.
- Let us stand upon God’s Word, as we face our battles.
- Let us stand upon God’s Word, as we bow to Him in prayer.
Appropriately, today as I close this discourse, I am reminded of the first verse my husband and I memorized together in 1984, when he gave his heart to Jesus & became a Christian, when we were gifted our matching Bibles.
The apostle Paul, who mentored young Timothy, wrote under the direction of the Holy Spirit these words:
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
(2 Timothy 3: 16-17 NASB 1995 Translation)
for training in righteousness;
so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
- The children of God are called to study God’s Word!
- Those who have been Redeemed through Christ Jesus are to walk through life IMMERSED in—God’s Holy Word!
- We must remember—Jesus is our Teacher!
- God’s Word is our foundation!
May we not walk daily through our lives distracted!
- May we stay the course!
- May we read, study, memorize, meditate, and spend time within God’s Word!
- We need God now.
- We need God daily.
- We need God for every life-situation.
- We cannot rely upon this world to teach us the important “truths” we need.
- We need God’s Word!
Each morning, Jesus is faithfully here with us!
- May we yearn for our Jesus when we arise from our slumber.
- May He be the song that plays upon our mind.
- May He be the melody we live as we walk throughout our days.
May We Allow God to Awaken us Each Morning.