We don’t think of it often, but the first moments of our day set a mental groove for how we will live out that particular day. Many of us are familiar with waking to an alarm, a baby crying, or for some of us empty nesters…a dog barking to go out! Waking doesn’t usually come gently or easily unless we are on vacation and not on a time schedule. Schedules are not going to magically erase and neither are our responsibilities. So, how then can we live in peace and purpose amidst the lists, responsibility
es, and rhythm of normal daily life?
It starts in those first moments. How were those spent this morning? Did you get up and dash? Get up and stress? Get up and make your way to the coffee? 🙂
I would like to challenge you to make a small shift in lifestyle that will make a big difference in living productively and peacefully in Christ. This shift involves the first 15. Begin each day by turning your focus immediately on things above and on the God who loves you and is with you. When we wake to start another day, it is by His providence that our body wakes. It makes sense to begin the day thanking Him for life, committing to Him the day, and focusing heavenward first thing.
Acts 17: 28 “For in him we live and move and have our being.”
Psalm 5:3 ” In the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”
Isa 50:4 ” He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.”
How do I apply this in practical ways?
Prepare the night before for the first 15. 
Set your alarm to go off to praise music ( CD or ipod or Christian radio)
Have a verse for the week, on a card, near your bed. Immediately read the verse out loud, and begin thanking God for the truth of the verse, praying it, talking to the Lord about your day. Lay your immediate, upon waking, requests before him. This sets your heart towards “waiting on him” in attitude the entire day.
Read from a daily devotional, or through a set place in Scripture, and then think about what you read. Journal or pray.
Now, go out and live practicing the presence of God all day, remembering His Word.
This first 15 does NOT take place of a bible study, or relationship with God. It is NOT a legalistic approach, but an honest, spiritually responsible approach to setting your focus heavenward first thing in the morning. The first 15 sets you in a place of NO MORE EXC– USES.
If you are attending a bible study class, you may want to have a different time alloted for doing that study. This 15 minutes is a devotional stance before God, first thing, each day.
It does not even require sitting, if you are truly on the run. It does require, looking UP, Praying Up, and surrender to Living Up! This surrender happens first thing…in the first 15 minutes.
You may have to remind yourself of that early morning committment many times during the day…that is OK. Keep pulling your heart and mind back to God. He is with you.
This life is a sacred journey, lived one ordinary moment at a time.
Thank you for reminding me to seek first in the am the power of the Holy Spirit to guide me through the day. I don’t work so it will be easy for me to do first thing when I wake up. God bless you.