"Good morning, Lord". This is how I start every day, most times before I even open my eyes. As my body begins to wake from its night's rest, and my mind gets ready to re-engage with the world, the first conscious thing I do is say 'good morning' to the Lord. It's a habit I've had for many years now. Before I was married I'd say it out loud, but now it's just a silent salutation. The matter of whether it's spoken out loud or in my mind is not the important factor. What matters here is my intentional acknowledgement of His presence. I make it a point to let God know that I am inviting Him into my day, from the very start of it. The Bible tells us that our God is always present. We also know that just because He's always there doesn't mean He's going to bombard our lives without being invited. Though He wants to be a part of every aspect of our lives, He sits off to the side and waits to be invited in. And, believe me, He's ready. What better person to invite into your day than the one with all of the answers?! He's standing by, having already reviewed the blueprint of your life, studied your heart, and projected out the destiny you're meant to reach; He's mapped out the best possible route for you for that day. He knows what the day has in store for you, and what supplies you'll need to get through it. And not only does He know what you need, He also HAS what you need, prepped and ready! So, years ago I decided to be intentional about the Lord knowing that I want to do every day with Him. I want my invitation to be clear. I have enough stacked up against me every day, many times before I even set a foot on the ground, that once I thought about it, it didn't really make sense NOT to do something that'd give me an edge up on it all. So I invite Him into my day.
Using God to maneuver through my day, avoiding or conquering obstacles encountered along the way is not the only reason I say 'good morning' to Him every day. It's actually not even the main reason. I simply like being around Him. His presence is filled with all of the things I desire in my day to day life. Psalm 16:11 says there is fullness of joy in His presence. Then, we learn in Nehemiah 8:10 that His joy doubles as our strength. His peace is also a reason I love being around Him. Philippians 4:7 tells us that His peace surpasses ALL understanding, and guards our hearts. It's not based on circumstances or people. I also gain His confidence when I'm around Him. When I acknowledge Him at the start of my day, I know that I am loved, accepted, and wanted. I know I have a purpose, and it is great! So, I like being around Him. He is the only constant positive, empowering force in my life. No matter what I face, He will not change.
We're in the midst of our 'Just Breathe' series, and I wanted to share with you 2 very important pre-steps to take before you can breathe Him into situations and seasons of life that have either taken your breath away or need to come back to life. First, you must acknowledge His presence; secondly, invite Him in. He is there, He is always there. But what He has for you will not be made available to you unless you open our mouth and your heart, and make it clear to Him that He's invited. Once you make space for Him in your day and life, He will gladly come in with everything you need and more! So, join me and say "Good Morning, Lord"! And then look for His presence and involvement throughout your day. It'll be the best thing you say all day!