Why seek God, “early in the morning”?

Our souls truly wait upon You during the trials we face each day and when we awake to a new day, You are there. We learn from Your word, over and over, that “early in the morning” Your prophets and Your people have sought You. Why “early” each day? Perhaps it is because we can be alone with You before our hectic schedules begin.

Being forgiven when I do not deserve it is stressful

Father, we know it is Your will that we take care of Your children, whether they are being obedient or not. When we have an opportunity and they have a need, it was an appointment made by You. You have taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves. You have said elsewhere, “They will know us by our love”.

To be forgiven enables you to forgive

Core Christian Value: God gave His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins. God forgives us for our sins and He expects us to forgive others who have disappointed us. We must forgive others in order to receive forgiveness.

I slip, too often, but You lift me up, repeatedly

Father, we know from other references that our personal righteousness is as filthy rags compared to the righteousness of Jesus. Jesus, Himself, rebuked a man for calling Him good, prior to his transformation as the perfected Son of God, saying “Call no man Good, except God in heaven”. But here King David, tells us that our steps, if we love the Lord, are ordered by the Lord and that as we follow in His way, God delights in us.

How could God possibly forgive me…my sins seem indelible

Father, here King David admits that his iniquities have overtaken him. Father, at times some of us feel the same; our iniquities weigh so heavily on us that we don’t know how You could possibly love us or forgive us. That is the miracle, Father, that makes life worth living. It is never about the present, with its moments of difficulty, but it is about the future. We know that is only true if we admit, as David did, that we need Your help.

Heaven, a destination you can’t possibly describe.

Father, indeed, ear has not heard not eye seen, Your equal. Those who pursue false gods are looking in the wrong places. You, Father, have revealed Yourself to all mankind; we all are Your people. Your truth is written upon our hearts and it is revealed and made known to us if we would but seek You.

Can the wicked record of my past be erased?

Father, you, under the Old Covenant, made the same type provision You have made under the New Covenant. The faith Your people had in You and their obedience to Your laws brought forgiveness. Under the New Covenant, Jesus changed things forever by inscribing Your truth on the heart of every person.

Let the person who has not sinned cast the first stone

Then You teach us that the scribes (lawyers) and Pharisees (religious leaders) are in the role of accusers. You did not say they accused falsely, Jesus, You said they too commit sins of various kinds and if any of them thought they were without sin, then step up and cast the first stone in the killing process.