I rolled over and looked at the clock: 5:28 a.m.
Who gets up at this time of day? Three days in a row, God had awakened me at the same time. I lay there a while and finally drifted back to sleep. I decided if I woke up at that time again the next day, I would get up and head to the porch to watch the sunrise.
Like clockwork on day four, I woke up at exactly 5:28. I got up, showered, and took my coffee to the porch. I sat in the dark for a little while and listened. The chorus of birds, frogs, and bugs greeted me like no other symphony I’d ever heard. Slowly, yellows and blues snuck across the tree line in streaks, as orange exploded on their heels. A blueish gray cloud changed shape. A tear snuck down my cheek as a fullness flooded my heart. A giant eye looked back at me from the cloud formation and immediately I felt it. “I see. I know. I’m here.”
More tears trickled down my face as I thanked God for such a tangible reminder. If I had stayed in bed, I would have missed this moment. I would have missed His message. I would have missed Him.
Now, my days begin before sunrise. Starting each morning surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature stirs my heart in a way nothing else will. I’m more at peace. More centered. More focused. Less hurried. Less worried. Less overwhelmed.
In the darkness before sunrise, songs erupt. Songs of hope. Songs of peace. Songs of joy. We need to let our souls tune in to those songs—songs that will draw us out of our slumber and closer to our Father. And as the sun peeks over the horizon with colors from all directions that brighten a once-dark sky—I know there is hope.
Wake up, take a chance, and let the freshness change your whole view. Early morning isn’t for everyone, but it’s a change that’s working for me. And room always exists in our life for a little sunrise.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
Christy Bass Adams is a mother of two boys. She uses her past classroom experience to teach future educators at Saint Leo University and at North Florida College. Christy serves as the Outreach and Connections Coordinator of Fellowship Baptist Church in Madison, Florida. She also writes a weekly inspirational column in Greene Publishing and maintains a regular blog. When she isn’t teaching or writing, you can find her sitting by the fire, wetting a line in the river, or spending time with her boys. For more from Christy, visit her blog: www.christybassadams.com.