Wednesday 13 July 2022

Good Morning, God! It's me! How Are You Doing Today?

 

The words rolled off my tongue before I even realized what I was saying. I chuckled at the thought of talking to God as if He were walking alongside me ready to share His feelings with me.

But through that simple greeting, God whispered sweet truths to my soul.

‘Good morning, God’ –

God’s fresh mercy

Waking up each day is a blessing. For those who don’t know God as Father, it is yet another chance to respond to His offer of peace. For those who know Him, it is an opportunity to cling ever closer to Him. Indeed, waking up each day in a relationship with God is a gift that never loses its sparkle. It amazes me that God chooses me, vile and sinful as I am, to be His child. Some mornings, my eyes drift away from this gift, pulled in the direction of last night’s worries or today’s fears. But when I choose to remember who God is and who I am to Him, my spirit lifts as I am reminded that I’m still nestled in the arms of my heavenly Father, safe and secure.

'I awake, and I am still with you.' Psalm 139: 18b 

‘The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.’ Lamentations 3:22-23

God’s nearness

A whisper, a cry, a groan, God is near enough to hear. No matter what is happening in my life or in the world, God hears me when I call and promises never to leave me. His presence with me means everything. He is here, near to me, on the days when I’m filled with hope and on the days when I feel lost and confused and I’m struggling to hold onto hope. First thing in the morning, last thing at night, and all the moments in between, God is near to me. Always near.

‘The LORD is near to all who call on him; to all who call on him in truth.’ Psalm 145:18

‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you.’ Deut. 31:6

‘It’s me’ –

God’s intimate knowledge of me

As my Father and Creator, God knows everything about me - every thought, every word I’m going to say, and all that I do. He knows my past, my present, and my future. Everything! To be FULLY known by God yet FULLY loved by Him is a truth that amazes me every day.

‘O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.’ Psalm 139:1-5

‘For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.’ Psalm 139:13

‘Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.’ Psalm 139: 16

‘Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.’ Psalm 36:5

And not only does God know me intimately, but He also invites me to know Him as Father and Friend.

‘I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.’ 2 Corinthians 6:18

‘See what kind of love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and we are.’ 1 John 3:1a

‘No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.’ John 15:15



How are you doing today? - 

God’s personhood

God is so personal to me. He sends me flowers when I need fresh hope, lifts me up when I’m flagging, and refuels my faith when it’s fading. In so many real-to-me ways, He shows me that He is my Father. It’s only natural then that I would consider His thoughts and feelings.

‘How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they’re more than the sand.’ Psalm 139: 17-18a

Do you ever pause to think about how God feels? Thinking about God’s feelings is actually quite reassuring to me. It reminds me of His realness - His compassion, His love, and even His wrath and sorrow. When my heart breaks for the pain and hopelessness I see in the world, I know I don’t grieve alone. I think of Jesus’ tears, but I also think of what amazed Him and I’m reminded that God delights in my simple, child-like dependence on Him.

‘The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.’ Psalm 147:11

‘For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.’ Psalm 149:4

It’s a lot to think about, and I can do a whole study on God’s thoughts and feelings as revealed in Scripture, but for today, I’m choosing to keep it simple. 

When I say, 'Good morning, God, it’s me. How are You doing today?', I imagine Him saying, “I’m happy you’re here, my child; let’s talk for a while.”

‘The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.’ Zephaniah 3:17

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What about you?

Do you ever pause to consider God’s feelings and thoughts? 

Do you know what grieves His heart and what brings Him pleasure? 

How has God encouraged you in personal real-to-you ways?

How would you describe your relationship with God and how it affects your life? 

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May grace and peace be multiplied to you,

Carlie

30 comments:

  1. I’m reading Psalm 4 and 5 as morning and evening prayers, so aware that God is with me in my time bound humanness.

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Michele. I love that God's Word is filled with such beautiful examples of a praying life.

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  2. Thank you for your beautiful "Good Morning God It's me." I love this! It shows your intimate relationship with Him. I love waking in the morning and spending the day with God too. I love how He sends us encouragements when we need them, soothing when needed and lessons when needed.

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    1. Thanks, Deborah! Isn't He so personal to each of His children!

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  3. Your words are beautiful here. I smiled at the question of asking God how He is, so true not the first question that pops into my mind! But dwelling on how He meets us each and every day it would be a natural question to ask!

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    1. Thanks, Donna! I'm encouraged to know that God is always there even on the days when we don't greet Him first thing on the morning. :)

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  4. Carlie, what beautiful thoughts, I have read Ps. 139 dozens and dozens of times. But for some reason, isolating that phrase, "I awake, and I am still with you." caused it to speak to me in a deeper way. What an amazing thought! One I should be amazed by every day!

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    1. Thank you, Donna. Isn't it amazing how alive and active God's Word is and how it speaks to us in fresh new ways but with the same amazing truth! So thankful that God has chosen to bless us in this way!

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  5. Yes I find myself asking those same questions. I find that I have a casual running dialog with Jesus through out my day. I love your insights and encouragement within.
    Let's Have Coffee #8

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    1. Thanks, Paula. It's such a blessing to be able to talk to God continually throughout the day, isn't it? I love that He offers us that privilege. I find that I need both ongoing conversation with Him as well as times set aside for more intense, in-depth pouring out and connection.

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  6. Carlie, this is a most beautiful and encouraging post. "Good Morning, God" is something I feel in my heart every morning. "Indeed, waking up each day in a relationship with God is a gift that never loses its sparkle. It amazes me that God chooses me, vile and sinful as I am, to be His child." Yes! this is how I feel. To be in relationship with Him is such a gift, one I have never gotten over. I so loved this post and I thank you for sharing it on my site!

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    1. Thanks so much, Joanne! I am so grateful for how God encourages me through writing and reflection on our walk together and how He further uses it to bless others.

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  7. This is beautiful, Carlie. I'm grateful that we have such a personal God. God's presence in us, around us, and through us is an immeasurable gift. I'll be sharing this as our featured post Friday on my blog for the Grace and Truth linkup.

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    1. Thank you, Lisa. I'm always amazed at the ways God speaks into my life. Thank you for choosing to feature my post; may others be encouraged and blessed by it.

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  8. LOVE this, Carlie! I think God loves when we talk with me like you share here as if He were a relationship rather than a routine or what we may believe we SHOULD pray. This is how I started dialoguing with Him years ago and it has made all the difference in my life. It reminds me He dwells in the temple of my heart and is always waiting on me there.

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    1. Thanks, Pam. Worrying about what I should pray often gets in the way of me being real with God. The more I dig into His word and learn more about Him, the easier it has been to see prayer as a privilege of talking with God. A privilege I am extremely grateful for.

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  9. I have learned that keeping God in mind throughout the day is the most beneficial spiritual practice for me. Like "practicing the presence of God." It changes everything! It's so helpful to have reminders and encouragement such as your blog! Thanks Carlie!

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    1. Thanks, Sherry. Indeed, practicing the presence of God changes everything.

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  10. I love your title! And I did a little chuckle too. 😊 What a sweet reminder of God’s love and desire for a relationship with His children. And yes, I often wonder how a righteous, loving Father can see all the evil in the world and not just shut it down. Praise God for His mercy that endures forever. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thanks, Cindra; I'm glad it made you smile as well. And yes, I'm so grateful for God's mercy, too.

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  11. This is so lovely and I thank you so much for giving us a glimpse of your intimate relationship with God. We all need that reminder that he's always near!

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  12. How beautiful. What a wonderful reminder. We serve such as kind, caring and near God. I also loved the scriptures you chose!

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    1. Thanks, Godsy Girl; aren't those scriptures just like love notes from God. I'm so thankful we have His word.

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  13. "A whisper, a cry, a groan, God is near enough to hear." Thank you for this, Carlie! Each new day is a precious gift from God. May I keep my eyes on Him and use each day for His glory. Blessings!

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  14. I helped at a camp this summer for a group of teenagers that were all from the one youth group. They were almost all from non-Christian backgrounds and at the group they had been taught to begin their prayers with the words, "Hi, God". It was really sweet to hear them praying like that and also that they were very natural and honest in their prayers. It is so encouraging to know that God wants that closeness with us.

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    1. That is so encouraging to hear, Lesley. Thanks for sharing that with us. I know God invites and delights in our real and honest prayers.

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  15. Such a beautiful post, Carlie … you’ve included so many precious scriptures that feel like old friends to my heart. With so much attention these days being paid to how WE feel about every single thing, it’s refreshing to step back and think about how God feels.

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    1. Thanks, Lois. Indeed, I think sometimes we do need to step back and see the bigger picture. I feel those scriptures help me to do just that.

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