Equipped to Serve

By: Kathie Welch

Friday, March 7, 2025

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3

The beginning of our day is a great time to connect with God, His Word, and His Spirit. All too often, we stumble out of bed and hurry through our routines, trying to get out the door on time. Before we head out or start working around the house, the best way to start our day is being alone with the Lord. But adding time to an already busy schedule requires intentional planning. We can't expect victory over life's roadblocks in our own strength. God is our GPS for navigating life... we might be holding wheel, but God must be guiding our way.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35

Jesus realized the necessity of spending time alone with His heavenly Father. He knew early mornings were best because most of His days were extremely busy. People came seeking healing, people came that needed prayer, people came to ask questions, and it took time to deal with the scoffers and schemers in the crowd. If Jesus recognized His need for intimate daily communication with His Father, as His followers, how can we not do the same?

Spending time with God at the start of our day opens our hearts and minds to receive God's wisdom. As for me, I like to intentionally ask and receive. I often quietly sing “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. I want to see You” which are the lyrics to a song we sing at church. God’s Word assures us that He will bless us with His wisdom and guidance when we ask (James 1:5). To imagine it visually: Pretend you're in a dark room, but when you open the curtains (God's Word), light pours in and you can see clearly.

As you start your day, be mindful of the Holy Spirit’s presence. Jesus promised Holy Spirit power to the disciples before He ascended to heaven (Acts 1:8), and that same power is available to us today. The Holy Spirit guides us, corrects us when necessary, and He is our best resource for help. He will empower us and give us boldness so we can be effective witnesses to others.

Our quiet time with God isn't another morning routine, it's time to get equipped to face the rest of our day. When you talk to God, ask Him for the wisdom to be an effective servant that will bring Him glory!