Morning Thoughts (or Daily Walking With God)
by Octavius Winslow
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My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. - Psalm 5:3
Preface
In compliance with a request frequently, and from various quarters, preferred, that the author would allow selections from some of his published works to appear in the form of Daily Readings, he ventures to offer to the Christian Church the following pages. They have been gleaned- with much care, and with a strict regard to variety, yet consecutiveness, of topic; presenting a spiritual, and occasionally a critical, exposition of each Scripture motto. In the large family of similar productions which have issued from the press, he trusts that his little volume- not quite a stranger to some who will peruse it- may find a humble place. Should it, with the Holy Spirit's blessing, drop occasionally a Christ-endearing, heart-soothing, soul-guiding, word in seasons of daily toil, conflict, or trial, his utmost wish in its publication will be realized.
Robert Hall was wont to define domestic prayer as "that border which keeps the web of my life from unraveling." With equal appropriateness this beautiful remark will apply to morning religion. To begin the day with God is the great secret of walking through the day with God. What a privilege this the moment that "slumber's chain" is broken, and we wake to duty and toil- perchance to temptation and trial- to raise the soul to God, and seek to fill it at this Infinite Fountain of life, love, and bliss, with such thoughts, and feelings, and purposes as will exert a hallowing, soothing, and controlling influence upon the day! Before the secular commences, to begin with the spiritual. Before care insinuates, to preoccupy the mind with peace. Before temptation assails, to fortify the heart with prayer. Before sorrow beclouds, to irradiate the soul with Divine sunshine. What a precious privilege this! A morning without God is the precursor of a uneasy, cloudy, and dark day. It is like a morning around whose eastern horizon thick vapors gather, veiling the ascending sun, and foreshadowing a day of storm. "The first thing I do when I awake in the morning," remarks an aged saint of God, "is to ask the Holy Spirit to take possession of my mind, my imagination, my heart, directing, sanctifying, and controlling my every thought, feeling, and word." What profound spiritual wisdom is there in this conception! What a God-descending, heaven-returning spirit does it betray! How the well of water in the soul springs up! "In the morning will I direct my prayer unto You, and will look up." "Look up!" Ah! here is the true and befitting attitude of the spiritual soul. Looking up for the day's supply of grace to restrain, of power to keep, of wisdom to guide, of patience to suffer, of meekness to endure, of strength to bear, of faith to overcome, of love to obey, and of hope to cheer. Jesus stands at the Treasury of Infinite grace, ready to meet every application, and to supply every need. His fullness is for a poor, needy, asking people. He loves for us to bring the empty vessel. Oh, to have our "morning thoughts" occupied with God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and heaven! Truly this is the border which keeps the web of daily life from unraveling! Dear reader, let your first thought be of God, and your first incense be to Jesus, and your first prayer be to the Holy Spirit, and thus anointed with fresh oil, you will glide serenely and safely through the day, beginning, continuing, and ending it with God.
"Direct, control, suggest, this day,
All I design, or do, or say,
That all my powers, with all their might,
In Your sole glory may unite."