Early

Early

1 O God, you are my God; early will I make my search for you: my soul is dry for need of you, my flesh is wasted with desire for you, as a dry and burning land where no water is;

2 To see your power and your glory, as I have seen you in the holy place.

3 Because your mercy is better than life, my lips will give you praise.

4 So will I go on blessing you all my life, lifting up my hands in your name.

5 My soul will be comforted, as with good food; and my mouth will give you praise with songs of joy;

6 When the memory of you comes to me on my bed, and when I give thought to you in the night-time.

7 Because you have been my help, I will have joy in the shade of your wings.

8 My soul keeps ever near you: your right hand is my support.

I was just about to turnover and go back to sleep, when the word came: "Early will I seek you... "

I found that it came from one of my favourite Psalms - 63.

Most versions now change "early" to "earnestly" or "eagerly".

Either way, I need to be both earnest and eager to seek the Lord early in the morning before sleep has forsaken me!

Verse 1 makes the relationship personal: You are MY God - it's a belonging - a strong family tie!

Incredibly, it's true - Jesus is so close, closer than a brother, closer than the air I breathe.

He's always so ready to open His arms and welcome me into His Presence.

Yesterday evening we saw a mother duck sitting by the canal.

Just peeking out from under her wings a tiny beak appeared.

Then, as she stood up, a whole family of ducklings emerged.

They had been sheltering under her wings. Just as it says in verse 7.

This mother didn't do a good job though.

When a more aggressive duck came to attack her "babies" she ran away, too frightened to defend them.

Thankfully, God isn't like that.

He is gloriously powerful.

After so many years following Him, I can vouch for His faithful protection.

He has never failed me. He has always been my support through thick and thin.

Now, in these desert times, I urge my soul to cling evermore closely to Him.

Early will I seek You.