Matutinal

of, relating to, or occurring in the morning

The awakening - the dawning of a new day - like a cat stretching its limbs, I slowly open my eyes to the light. There was a time when I would jump, feet planted beside the bed and dash about in a panic ready for the multitude of errands, demands and commitments depending on the items scribbled on the calendar. But these days, I move much slower.

Time to pray, to meditate on my blessings, being thankful for each breath, the beating of my heart and that I can hear the tinkle of the wind chimes outside my window. Slowing down. Listening. Quiet. Moving into the day. What do we give our firstfruits of the morning to? Our time and attention can be given to distractions, busyness, worry or it can be used for precious moments with God.

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3

In the bible, Jesus rose while it was dark, even after long and tiring days. In Mark 1:35: Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. Perhaps we too can learn from Jesus. Other examples include, “Early the next morning, Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord.” (Genesis 19:27) In Exodus, God told Moses to rise in the morning and stand before Pharaoh. Joshua, Gideon, David and Samuel are also examples of men who rose early to go into battle, cross the Jordan and listen to God’s voice. David tells us in Psalm 5:3 “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Starting the day positively can impact the rest of our day. It brightens our perspective; it gives us energy and it points us in the correct direction when we start with God’s Word, prayer and that matutinal positive habit. Let’s get off on the right foot and wish someone a Good Morning with a smile!