The first duty

SUMMARY: Those who have done great work for God are those who have sought Him early in the morning. If we waste our mornings on other things, we will make little progress in seeking God for the rest of the day. The desire for God should be so strong that it breaks the chains of sleep, and only then can we truly have a deep relationship with Him. We need a generation of preachers who seek God early in the morning to receive His power and strength for the day ahead. Our laziness in seeking God is a sin that we need to overcome.

The men who have done a good work for God in the world are those who have been on his knees from early on. He who wastes the best of the morning, its opportunity and freshness, on other occupations than seeking God, will make little progress in approaching him for the rest of the day. If God does not take first place in our efforts and thoughts in the morning, He will take last place for the remainder of the day.

Behind this getting up early to pray is the burning desire that prompts us to communicate with God. The carelessness shown in the morning is an indication of an indifferent heart. The heart that is delayed in seeking God in the morning has lost its pleasure in him. David was hungry and thirsty for God and that is why he sought him early, before dawn. The bed and the dream did not chain his soul in his eagerness to seek God. Christ longed for communion with the Father, and that is why before dawn he went to the mountains to pray. The disciples, when they woke up ashamed of their negligence, knew where to find him. If we go through the names of those who have moved the world in favor of pious causes, we find that they sought God very early in the morning.