Our scripture this morning is Psalms 146.
Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord.
A praise psalm is a wonderful way to begin each day, offering thanks to God for His blessings. If we start with an attitude of worship, it is harder for the issues of the world to intrude on us. We often blame external things when we have a tough time, but if we haven’t prepared ourselves through time spent with God, the blame falls on us.
No matter what time you begin your day, a few minutes of prayer can make all the difference. Talking with God is always good but “morning” prayer points us in the right direction for a better day from the start. Scripture tells us Jesus rose early and went to pray alone (Mark 1:35), giving us an example for our prayer life.
Scripture also says there is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3). Praying together in worship is necessary, but spending time alone with God is essential. I hope you make time today to share with Him and know the joy of the one to One relationship He intends for us all.
Heavenly Father, we are blessed to share our feelings and our fears with You. Help us to see that our daily lives are made better and our faith strengthened by spending time in prayer. Amen.