I took this photo early one morning in Central Oregon a couple years ago. I was facing east, and the sun was just starting to crest the majestic Cascade mountains. Of all the places I’ve visited, few are as picturesque as Central Oregon. Each time I visit, I enjoy the stillness of the mornings, the freedom from distractions, and the opportunity to hear from God and share my heart with Him.
“The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.” Isaiah 50:4 NLT
A few days ago, I was doing my devotions at home, and I camped on this verse for a while. I was prompted to search back through my photo library, and I found the shot above. Whenever I encounter a beautiful sunrise like this one, I don’t find it difficult to acknowledge God’s faithfulness, power and creativity in His creation. For me, it seems the appropriate response. Isaiah affirmed this idea as well, recognizing that each morning is a gift as God “wakens” us and gives us life.
But Isaiah also acknowledges something deeper about God’s purposes and plans for us.
“He opens my understanding to his will.”
Clearly, our all-powerful, transcendent God has a will, and He is more than capable of executing it. The thing I am drawn to here is my opportunity to understand God’s will and connect my own life to it. This is something God does…He wants to teach me and speak to me, and He will do it every morning if I give Him access to my heart and draw near to Him in relationship. Then, as my understanding grows, I will also gain wisdom and grace to minister hope to those around me.
“Great is Thy Faithfulness,” a well-loved worship song for generations in the Church, quotes Lamentations 3 with the words, “Morning by morning, new mercies I see.” Isaiah encourages us to go a step further, allowing God to open our hearts and minds to a deeper understanding of His will as we begin each day.
Not every morning features the beauty of a Central Oregon sunrise, However, if I draw near to the heart of God, every morning can be a time where mercy, wisdom, and the understanding of God’s purposes become increasingly evident in my life.
Brent
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