My Notes on the Morning Prayer

Many years ago, I received a printout of a prayer while I was at summer camp.  The speaker was Tom Harmon and that week of camp was life changing for me.  The most important take away was learning about forgiveness.  Forgiveness as an action that I was a participant of.  It was freeing.  I was so much more in love with my FATHER my GOD.  

The second take away has been with me ever since.  It was a bi-fold pamphlet printed on common copy paper.  It has yellowed over the years, there are a couple of worn edges, and the print is fading a bit, which makes sense, since I turn to it regularly.  

Now, I am not one for praying specific rote prayers.  I feel that often in the repetition of the words the meaning dampens, and can, many times, get lost.  So, for me to promote a written, unchanged, repeated work is a big deal.  One of the most impactful pieces of this prayer is that it is fully scriptural.  Each statement made is scripture and is what GOD intends for HIS children to live out.

I have found that each time I do the prayer the HOLY SPIRIT focuses on a specific piece or topic in the prayer.  However, the part about resisting the devil is always emphasized.  Yet, some of the sections or even parts of the sections, I find, I will dwell on differently each time.  It is evidence that the HE is actively answering the opening lines.  Which are, "Please allow me to pray in the spirit, because YOU know what I will face today and YOU know where to emphasize my prayers."  HE is working with me, speaking to me, meeting me where I am, and with what I am going to face.  

I was raised in a "Christian" circle that did not believe in an active inter-relational GOD.  I was told many times that I could not hear from HIM, or that HE did not talk to me like that.  I happened to have this prayer along with the Word of GOD during those formative years, and I knew differently.  GOD is active, alive, and wants to commune with us.  HE is not just sitting up on a throne as an observer to our goings on.

Near the beginning of the prayer the reader is yielding their rights.  I had never heard of this idea or knew of its impact until I began to take this prayer to heart.  Many days I will be struck by every single right that I am yielding.  I take a pause or elaborate on each one.  The HOLY SPIRIT will have me identify where that right sits in my heart.  HE continues like that throughout the rest of the prayer, causing pause and reflection on specific topics.

The author of this morning prayer has added a couple of items since I received my copy.  I have not added them to my morning prayer time.  My copy ends with, "Serving I seek to live for you today."  I may add Gratefulness and Joy of my Salvation, but I feel that Self Denial and a Willingness to Fight are already covered in the body of the prayer.  I also feel that the Good Works is, well, wrong.  I will not be living or striving to live by good works.  I will however, after I pray, be more sensitive to the SPIRIT and strive to be obedient to HIM throughout my day.  And although I have made this initial observation, I will also take these new lines and try them with the Word, before I decide if they should or should not be added.

I would encourage the reader to obtain a copy of this prayer and test it to the Word.  Use it as a devotion over the next season for you.  Pick it apart and try it.  You can find a copy of this prayer at http://www.tdharmon.com/morning-prayer/ .  

Let me share why this prayer means so much to me.  

Because I am a mess.  I am selfish.  I seek my own glory.  I strive for acceptance and honor.  I am foolish and impetuous.  I fear.  But GOD.  HE has not given me a spirit of fear, but of peace and love and a SOUND MIND y'all.  A sound mind.  This prayer reminds me to let go of pride and selfishness.  It gives HIM space to speak to me.  It gives me space to hear from, and obey HIM.