Calling In Sick
🌎The World Before the Word
Morning arrives quietly.
The alarm goes off or you ease into wakefulness.
The room is still.
The day hasn’t started yet.
And there’s a small window.
You know what that moment is for.
A few minutes to center the day.
To read.
To pray.
To listen.
Nothing complicated.
But the mind negotiates.
Just check the phone first. Cool— another post on “Instachat” from Sally!
I can do “the work” later— I’m already centered.
Warm coffee!
Today’s going to be busy.
It’s not rebellion.
It’s resistance.
Not a lack of belief —
just a lack of willingness in the moment.
The invitation is small.
But the will hesitates.
The Old Reflex
The old reflex is postponement.
Not refusal.
Just delay.
Sometimes “I don’t need it”.
We assume the day will provide another moment later.
But once the day begins, momentum takes over.
Messages arrive.
Tasks multiply.
Attention fragments.
What felt like a small decision in the morning quietly shapes the whole day.
The reflex chooses convenience over intention.
And the soul begins the day unanchored.
🌿 The new Covenant Posture
A living sacrifice begins with a small act of offering.
Not dramatic effort.
Just showing up.
Under the New Covenant, devotion is not performance.
It is orientation.
The morning moment becomes a quiet decision:
Before the noise…
before the responsibilities…
before the world sets the tone…
I will place my attention toward God.
Sometimes it feels natural.
Sometimes it feels deliberate.
Both count.
Faithfulness is often nothing more than choosing presence when convenience suggests otherwise.
📜 The Word
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”
📖 Mark 1:35
Mark records this early moment in Jesus’ ministry. After a full day of teaching and healing, Jesus withdrew early to pray. The pattern reveals something profound: even the Son of God guarded quiet space before the day overtook Him and it’s all over scripture!
“In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”
📖 Psalm 5:3
In many worship traditions, morning prayer sets the posture for the day. It is not merely ritual; it is alignment — beginning the day aware of God’s presence and guidance.
Morning devotion shapes spiritual direction before momentum begins.
🤵 Pastoral Word
What is that first moment of the day like for you? Is it stillness or do you reach for your phone or immediately reflect on the tasks laid before you?
Think about it? That VERY FIRST moment? What is it for you?
Many of us who are grounded in our faith just know that in about 20 minutes we’ll start our devotional, or morning matins. Maybe not for you, but likely often for many. That first 20 minutes carries some risk— you might realize you forgot to finish the laundry, or you choose to cook that bacon before it grows old. Just one cup of coffee and I’ll start…
Let me suggest that the first thing you do, that very first moment upon awakening, should be to speak gratitude for YOU and for GOD. In doing so, even before your first yawn of the day, you have set in motion the energy to be prepared for anything.
This moment is when you are are most receptive, most neutral, and most close to God. Right now— those first 10 seconds of your day! The most sacred 10 seconds, likely, of the entire day.
At thirty seconds you are on your feet and moving into your prayer “Tameion” (Greek for “inner storage”, “storage closet” or “secret room” referenced by Jesus in Matthew 6:6, “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet,”
Your heart rate rises and moves you forward.
As you move to your “Tameion” say,
Thank you for this new day."
"Guide my steps."
"Steady my heart."
"Let me witness your presence in the ordinary."
As you settle into your chair, that is when you begin to set your intention in motion. Start with one, more may come. But start.
Oh— and this first one— It is not a goal, not a task.
IT IS A TONE
"Today, I will move softly."
"Today, I will speak truthfully."
”Today, I will walk in peace.”
"Today, I will not rush my soul."
This is how you paint the color of your sunrise.
Now do your journaling (“reflection of you”), your scripture, your prayer. Finally begin your practice and move on to your day.
I have never been much of a morning “journaler” but I created a process to become one and I now share it with you:
First Light - 'Romans 3:17' - 2026-03-10 05:41 AM
3/10/2026, 12:41:30 PM - Entry Added:
Scripture: Romans 3:17: “The way of peace, they haven’t known.”
This verse invites us to reflect on how stewardship is not just about managing resources, but also about cultivating peace in our lives and communities.
As you engage with the theme of stewardship today, consider how nurturing the gifts entrusted to you can lead to a deeper sense of peace.
My Spoken Reflection:
Peace is always victory. It means that I've overcome something in the past, and I'm ready to move forward with new challenges and walk through them easier.
My Spoken Intention:
Nurture peace within, and let it guide my stewardship today.
My Spoken Prayer:
Gracious Lord, as I step into this day, help me to nurture the peace that comes from You. May I recognize the gifts entrusted to me and manage them with care and intention. In moments of challenge, remind me of the victory that peace brings, guiding my stewardship with a calm heart. Let my actions today reflect Your love and Grace. Amen.
My Practice:
As I step into the day, I take this moment to breathe deeply and affirm, 'I will nurture peace in my actions and choices today.'
I have now painted my sunrise!
…and I am printing my morning and taking it with me!
Elapsed time? 5-10 minutes.
Now— where is my coffee?
🙏 Let's Pray
Lord,
Steady my will in the small choices that shape my day.
Help me meet You before the noise begins.
Let my mornings become a quiet offering of attention.
May your morning become a doorway to steadiness.
Before the world begins speaking,
before messages arrive and responsibilities gather,
may you find a small moment to turn your attention toward God.
Not out of pressure.
Not out of obligation.
But as a quiet act of trust.
May that early pause settle your spirit.
May it anchor your thoughts.
May it gently shape the direction of your day.
And as you step forward into the hours ahead,
may the peace found in that first moment with God
remain quietly with you.
A small offering at the beginning of the day
often becomes strength for everything that follows.
Amen
🔥 Carry this With You Today
I meet God before I meet the day.