I don’t know about you, but I’m a morning person. Many people that I know say that I get up way too early, but what’s so early about 4 am? It’s a bit like getting to the ballpark in time to watch batting practice; if you haven’t seen batting practice, you haven’t really seen the game… Right?

Right!

Every day brings opportunities to serve others, to meet the needs of others who might need comfort or a helping hand in some way. It’s an opportunity to get necessary chores done, to learn something new, and to spend time alone with our Lord Jesus Christ and to build that all important relationship with Him.

It’s also an opportunity to grow spiritually.

OK, I know what some are thinking, and yes, I’ll admit that every day also brings its challenges, irritations and difficulties.

Yet, I find that when I’ve gotten to the ballpark of a new day early enough for batting practice, those challenges, irritations and difficulties are much easier to deal with, because my mind is in a much better place, than if I lay in bed dreading getting up.

Even so, a number of people have told me that being up until late at night does the same thing for them that being up early does for me, and while that is hard for me to imagine, if that’s your way, then that’s fine. The really important lesson to all of this is that we all need our quiet time to reflect, recharge and to grow with Him. In our time, this might require that we make a special effort to secure our quiet time to ensure that it isn’t drowned out by the chaos of daily life.