5:30 AM Experiment
Mark 1:35 has always been one of my favorite verses. It gives us a glimpse into a "normal day" in Jesus' life. "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."
I've been thinking about experimenting with routines and disciplines this year. I want to "mix it up" and try some different ways to keep momentum and rhythm.
One of my experiments this month is to get up a little earlier. I'm setting my alarm for 5:30 AM most mornings so I can spend uninterrupted time with God.
I am very aware of the danger of spirituals goals like this. They can lead towards pride--I'm doing something you aren't. And they can lead toward legalism--if I miss a morning I'm a complete failure. I'm going to try to avoid those extremes. But I feel like I want to spend a little extra time with God in the AM. I want to give God a little extra time and a little extra room to work in my life. I'm just trying to follow Jesus' example.
I think Mark 1:35 was normality, not abnormality, for Jesus. It was his routine.
I remember being inspired by D.L. Moody years ago. R.A. Torrey said that one reason God used Moody was his study habits. Torrey said of Moody, "Every day of his life I have reason for believing he arose very early in the morning to study the Word of God way down to the close of his life. Mr. Moody used to rise about 4:00 in the morning. He would say to me, 'If I am going to get in any study, I have got to get up before the other folks get up.' And he woudl shut himself up in a remote room in his house alone with his God and his Bible."
This may be a figment of my imagination, but I also remember reading that he felt a twinge of guilt if he heard the blacksmith up hammered before he was up praying!
My father-in-law used to get up at ridiculous hours to pray. At one point, he got up at 3:30 AM. But I'm convinced that is why God used him the way He did!
So it's 5:30 AM this month. I just want to give God a little more time and a little more room to work in my life!
I've been thinking about experimenting with routines and disciplines this year. I want to "mix it up" and try some different ways to keep momentum and rhythm.
One of my experiments this month is to get up a little earlier. I'm setting my alarm for 5:30 AM most mornings so I can spend uninterrupted time with God.
I am very aware of the danger of spirituals goals like this. They can lead towards pride--I'm doing something you aren't. And they can lead toward legalism--if I miss a morning I'm a complete failure. I'm going to try to avoid those extremes. But I feel like I want to spend a little extra time with God in the AM. I want to give God a little extra time and a little extra room to work in my life. I'm just trying to follow Jesus' example.
I think Mark 1:35 was normality, not abnormality, for Jesus. It was his routine.
I remember being inspired by D.L. Moody years ago. R.A. Torrey said that one reason God used Moody was his study habits. Torrey said of Moody, "Every day of his life I have reason for believing he arose very early in the morning to study the Word of God way down to the close of his life. Mr. Moody used to rise about 4:00 in the morning. He would say to me, 'If I am going to get in any study, I have got to get up before the other folks get up.' And he woudl shut himself up in a remote room in his house alone with his God and his Bible."
This may be a figment of my imagination, but I also remember reading that he felt a twinge of guilt if he heard the blacksmith up hammered before he was up praying!
My father-in-law used to get up at ridiculous hours to pray. At one point, he got up at 3:30 AM. But I'm convinced that is why God used him the way He did!
So it's 5:30 AM this month. I just want to give God a little more time and a little more room to work in my life!
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