Give Me Jesus

“In the morning when I rise give me…” How many of you said, “Coffee”? But in all seriousness, how many of us grab our phones the first thing in the morning to check the latest news, or our messages or Facebook? Do we automatically flip on the TV news, or read the paper with that coveted cup of coffee? While there’s nothing really sinful or shameful in that routine, it may not be the most beneficial choice.

While the writers of the Scriptures existed in a time before humanity was inundated by the flood of instantaneous distractions we experience in this age of information at our fingertips, we would probably still do well to heed their spirit-cries for God, starting early in the morning. As David, and the other psalmists express:

“O God, you are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for You, in a dry and thirsty land with no water” (Ps. 63:1). In this Psalm we see someone who is eager for God—someone who craves Jesus first thing in the morning, as much as many crave that first cup of Joe. For this person, the world around them is a dry and thirsty place—one where there’s nothing that really satisfies, nothing even comes close. For this person, “Give me Jesus” is spoken with the desperation of one who knows they need Him for very life itself.

“O, Lord, in the morning You hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for You and watch” (Ps. 5:3). In this Psalm, David is saying that the morning is his time for worship and waiting upon God. For us it might feel like a sacrifice to delay the gratification of that immediate cup of java or peek at the smart phone. And David’s attitude is one of worship coupled with watchful waiting. In the stillness of the morning, before all the distractions of the world start crashing in, we begin by pausing to turn our hearts to Him, and waiting to hear if He has anything to say to us. Think of that—the God of the universe condescends to speak to us, but do we humble ourselves to wait to hear?

The Scriptures have many powerful commands calling us to watch and wait upon the Lord, and wonderful promises about the blessings of doing so. How better to begin our morning by coming with the eagerness of one crying, “Give me Jesus,” then watching to see how God will answer that request.

“Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Ps. 90:14). This psalm was written by Moses, and just think about the intimacy that he experienced with God! Each of us really need to ask ourselves where we seek our satisfaction in life, and check to determine if there is any place we seek satisfaction that rivals the satisfaction which comes from God. If we come to Him first thing in our day and seek from the satisfaction that comes from Him alone, we will be able to rejoice and be glad all our day—no matter what we face, no matter what other things leave us flat or wanting. When we cry in the morning, “Give me Jesus,” and wait for Him to fill us with His satisfaction, all our days will be blessed and abundant.

“But I will sing of Your strength; I will sing of Your steadfast love in the morning. For You have been to me a fortress and refuge in the day of my distress” (Ps. 59:16). Here the psalmist begins his day with singing worship songs, praising God for His strength and steadfast love. What better way to start the day than in the joyous contemplation and celebration of the truth that God’s love for us endures forever, unshakeable, and that He has already supplied the strength that we will need to meet the unknown challenges which will confront us in the day ahead. We many not know what we’ll face, or we may already be fearful of what we anticipate facing, but if we’ve begun the day worshipping Him in our assurance that whatever we face we will do so in His unfailing love and almighty power, we are ready for whatever the day brings. We know He has been, and He will always be our fortress and refuge.

Isaiah says, “The Lord has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning He awakens; He awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught” (50:4). The Lord wants to be our teacher. He wants to give us an instructed tongue; one that has the insights and discernment which come only from the Spirit of Jesus which dwells within us; one which comes from the life of one who regularly cries out, “In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus.” Such a tongue will be a balm for a weary world.

Will we be such people as described in these Scriptures? The choice is ours each morning whether or not we cry from our hearts, “You can have all this world, give me Jesus.”