God of strength

As Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength." On page 130 of "Boyhood and Beyond," author Bob Schultz reflects on God's strength:

God has done many things to show His strength to me. One stands out above them all: Throughout my life, God has shown His strength to me by faithfully drawing me out of bed each morning that He might enjoy a relationship with me.

Some people see early rising as a difficult discipline reserved for the hardy, self-controlled person. For me, it isn't a discipline; it is a gift from a living God to a weak man.

I was taught that a Christian young man was supposed to get up early in the morning and have devotions. It was my duty. It may have been my duty, but it was also my struggle. One morning, when I was about eighteen years old, I had a particularly difficult fight and was losing. I tried and tried to get up, but I couldn't do it.

Then I heard God's voice in my heart saying, 'Quit trying -- and get up.'

It startled me. Not that I would hear God's voice in my heart, but that the idea was so simple. I quit trying and got up!

Getting up to spend the morning with God is an excellent way to start the day.