Sunrise Surmise

My soul needed to see the sunrise this morning.

I argued against it, saying that it was too hot outside, too humid, and the chairs on the deck were still soggy from yesterday's rain.

The spirit within me argued back, and so out I went. And there were blessings...the squirrels coming out of their nests to likewise greet the morning...the cock's crow from down the street, the first to serenade the coming day...and finally, the bright ball itself. I went back inside grateful that I hadn't wasted the opportunity to start the day in such a way.

Sometimes I fight against the voice telling me to meet with the Son at the start of the day. There are always excuses...I'm too tired or my time is too short or it's just too inconvenient today. Yet what happens in those morning minutes largely determines the course of the hours that follow. I'll face the same hurdles regardless, but how wonderful when I can remember the warmth of God's embrace, the faith that He will turn the problems that crowd my day into showcases of His glory...the belief that I will see God rise above any challenging circumstances that may come. The sun will rise without me, but I can't fall back on the encouragement of those morning moments with God if I didn't take the time to drink them in first thing.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name."

(Psalm 103:1 KJV)

Brownies for Breakfast

A youth group gathering at my friend's home one afternoon recently prompted me to bake a batch of brownies for my sons to bring along. My friend approached me the next day and said, "Thanks for breakfast this morning! I ate the brownies that were leftover after the meeting last night!"

Brownies for breakfast. It sounded so good to me that I had the same thing today. There's nothing like the chocolate chewiness of a brownie to complement a cup of hot coffee, consumed while enjoying a beautiful morning out on one's back deck.

My spiritual breakfasts with the Lord are a lot like that. There's nothing more delicious than a fresh word from God - a lesson He speaks to me out of the experiences of my life, a word He wants me to voice to someone else, or a Scripture verse that perfectly completes a thought He expressed to me at some earlier point in time. But not all my mornings are like that. Some days He makes me eat oatmeal - good for me, but kind of bland. On other days He fixes bacon and eggs - a lesson with a little more meat in it. But sometimes He lets me eat brownies. On those days He gives me something that thrills me long after our "breakfast" together is over.

It's the bread and meat He brings to our spiritual mealtimes that sustain us, but it’s the hope of brownies for breakfast that keeps us coming to the table.

"...crave spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." (1 Peter 2-3 NIV)