Editor’s note: Join us for The Great Morning Revolution Online Bible Study starting January 19th! Let’s launch 2026 with a new habit of mornings with the Lord!
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I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in Your word. — Psalm 119:147
View Mornings as Sacred Space
- The key to sustaining an early morning routine is seeing those hours as a meeting place with God.
Mornings are a unique time when the world is still, distractions are minimal, and we can encounter God in the quiet. Instead of viewing mornings as a time to rush into the tasks of the day, what if we viewed them as holy ground, space and time set apart for communion with God?
In Exodus 33:7–11, we see Moses setting up the tent of meeting outside the camp where he would go to meet with God. For us, the early morning hours can be like our own tent of meeting, a time and place where we go to meet with God, where His presence fills the space, and we experience deep communion with Him.
Like Moses, we are invited to step away from the busyness of the camp — away from our devices, to-do lists, and distractions — and into the quiet stillness where God is waiting. The morning can become a place of encounter where we hear God’s voice more clearly and are shaped by His Spirit before we engage with the world.
Move Beyond Routine to Relationship
One of the dangers of establishing any routine is that it can become mechanical. We do it because we’ve committed to it, but our hearts can grow cold or indifferent. It’s crucial to remember that the purpose of early rising is not the routine itself but rather the relationship we cultivate with God in the process.
Isaiah 50:4 reads,
The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.
Mornings are a time for us to listen — to open our ears to what God wants to say to us. It’s not about performing or achieving a perfect quiet time, but about being with God, learning from Him, and allowing Him to direct our day.
The beauty of mornings is that they offer us a fresh start every single day. Each morning, we awaken with new mercies (Lamentations 3:22–23). No matter how yesterday went, no matter our mistakes or failures, God invites us to begin again.
Mornings remind us that the Christian life is a journey of continual renewal in which God’s grace is always enough to carry us through.
By prioritizing rest and cultivating a mindset of purpose, we unlock the power of the morning. Rising early becomes not just a practice but also a spiritual rhythm that aligns our hearts with God’s. Through these practical steps, we begin to experience the transformative power of mornings as a divine appointment in which God meets us, renews us, and sets the tone for the rest of the day.
Our mornings can awaken us to the presence of God, calling us to step into each day with a renewed spirit and an open heart. In these quiet hours, we are offered the gift of starting anew, laying aside yesterday’s failures, and embracing today’s possibilities with God as our guide.
Excerpted with permission from The Great Morning Revolution by Tara Beth Leach, copyright Tara Beth Leach.
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Your Turn
Do you start your mornings with the Lord? If that’s not yet your practice, or even if it is, you’re invited to join us for The Great Morning Revolution Online Bible Study starting January 19th! We hope to see you there! ~ Devotionals Daily