“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”-Lamentations 3:23
When was the last time you considered how gracious and merciful God has been to you? Pause for a moment and think about it! You really didn’t have to wake up this morning, but like many people often do, we take life for granted, all the while not knowing for sure whether or not we’ll be here tomorrow to carry on business as usual.
This morning when I awoke, I was fully aware of my surroundings, and all my senses were intact. Between the time I went to bed last night and the moment I opened my eyes this morning, I have no idea what transpired while I slept. Why? Simply put, I was unconscious – totally oblivious to my surroundings, very much like a person who dies. I had absolutely nothing to do with being aroused to consciousness. I understand that an alarm is a mechanism used to ‘awaken’ us so that we don’t oversleep. However, let us always be mindful that outside of God’s providence, our fate each moment is at best questionable. Exclusive of His intervention, no alarm clock or human agent can aid us in waking up each morning.
While sitting there in bed, enjoying the beautiful sunrise and the tranquility of the moment, it suddenly dawned upon me that I was in the will of my Heavenly Father. I acknowledged that I was truly privileged to see another day only because of an act of love – Him spilling sunshine upon my face and making me aware of His personal involvement in my day-to-day existence. What did I do to deserve the gifts of life, health, strength, and an extension of days upon the Earth? Nothing! Absolutely nothing. In humility, I turned my eyes and heart toward heaven and expressed deep gratitude for His faithfulness toward me.
Heavenly Father, we recognize that we have often taken life for granted. We have also taken You and Your blessings for granted. In this moment, we come asking You to remove all traces of pride, arrogance, and selfishness from our hearts. Please renew a right spirit within us so that we can live a life of full surrender and unquestionable obedience, following only where You lead, and trusting that You always know what’s best for us. Thanks for giving us this day, and help us to live for You, we humbly pray.
Amen!
