He Awakens Me Each Morning
By nature, I have never been a morning person. My body's natural wake/sleep cycle seems to be to stay up most of the night and sleep until noon. Angie and Rayne have always been our early birds, while Carrie and I have been the night owls, but as I have gotten older, I have started to find peace and joy in waking up early. I don't necessarily wake up early on my own, but I have started to enjoy the early morning hours when the house is quiet and I can be alone with God.
Since we cleared our path in the woods, I have made a point of going out to walk each morning, rain or shine. As soon as I get home from dropping Rayne and Carrie off at school during the school year, especially when it is still dark until 7:30 in the morning, I go out for my morning walk. Now that we are on our summer schedule, I have been out in God's woods as early as 6:00 a.m. I love to hear the birds waking up and the squirrels getting out to find breakfast. The most awesome thing the other morning was the deer that basically walked through the woods with me. It didn't come close to me, but I could see and hear it walk along through the deeper part of the woods as I followed the path all the way around. When I got back to the gate, it ran off along the fence line.
Most days, I talk aloud to God as I walk, but I am trying to learn to listen more than I talk. God knows exactly what is on my heart without me having to say a word, but I have to make an effort to focus on listening to Him. Paying attention to the little sounds of nature helps draw my attention away from the world inside my head. I have said for a long time that my favorite Bible verse is Psalms 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God..."
I have come to realize recently that the more I try to walk quietly on purpose, the more I am able to listen. In particular, I tried to be absolutely silent the other morning to keep from scaring the deer away.
Being still is the whole point. I used to beg God to speak to me, then over time, I began asking to help me learn to listen. God is always speaking. "He awakens my ear to listen like those being instructed."
Heavenly Father, I am sorry for not always listening more carefully. I know that you are always speaking to me, guiding me along the path, even through the deepest woods. I also know that you are listening, even when I don't say a word. Thank you, Father, for awakening me each morning. In the gentle name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
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