Morning Has Broken - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Morning Has Broken

“So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him.” (1 Samuel 17:20, NKJV)

Cat Stevens in 1971 released a song on his Teaser and the Firecat album entitled, “Morning Has Broken.” As I sit here on my front porch swing in April of 2019, early in the morning before the sun arises on Charlotte, North Carolina, I am reminded of his praise song. Cat wasn’t known for this type of genre, but in my sophomore year of high school, it got my attention and listening time on the radio dial in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The lyrics moved my soul. The Holy Spirit used even this secular song to move my spirit too.

"Morning Has Broken"

Morning has broken like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken like the first bird

Praise for the singing

Praise for the morning

Praise for them springing fresh from the world 

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven

Like the first dewfall on the first grass

Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden

Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight

Mine is the morning

Born of the one light Eden saw play

Praise with elation, praise ev'ry morning

God's recreation of the new day

Morning has broken like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken like the first bird

Praise for the singing

Praise for the morning

Praise for them springing fresh from the world

Songwriters: Eleanor Farjeon / Yusuf Islam

Morning Has Broken lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management

Even back in the early 1970s, it wasn’t too “cool” to be a Christian. And I thought to go to my Catholic High School, Columbus High in Waterloo, Iowa, would have strengthened my relationship with the Lord Jesus. In some ways it did, as my faith was tested, but even then, being “a brown nose” or “good Catholic boy” had its struggles.

Columbus High School in Waterloo, Iowa

One could overhear many things, sitting around the school cafeteria, as to what went on many weekends, beginning on Friday nights. Most Catholic priests in the confessional would have had big eyes if this was even confessed. (And the world now knows what a lot of the “holy” priests themselves were doing.)

Later, as I was challenged in my faith and foundation in my one and only year of college in 1973-1974 at the University of Northern Iowa, it was the grace and mercy of the Lord that kept me close to Him. Learning basic discipleship principles grounded me even deeper when I connected with a small college Christian group. They assisted in holding me to the higher standards and steered my walk of faith down the narrow road that certainly many on campus failed to find, or even despised, that was offered them through our efforts in outreach.

But one thing I clearly remember in keeping close to the Lord was the early morning times, displayed daily before my eyes, when I would awaken on the top bunk in the small room I shared with 5 other brothers in the faith, along with our three bunk beds. Werner Lind, a very small man of stature, complete with full Mennonite Amish-style beard and pant suspenders, would be bent over on his middle bunk, kneeling on the bare wooden floor, murmuring prayers to the heavens above. I had to very quietly slip down from the bunk, which was itself a challenging squeeze, so as not to step (or fall) on him. His persistence and faithfulness in this daily time, early in the morning, with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, remains imprinted in my mind to this day. Oh, how I loved Werner.

If you read the Old and New Testaments, the Torah, the Psalms, the Prophets, the Gospels, you will find that so often many of the patriarchs, matriarchs, kings, leaders of the people, from  Moses, Abraham, and David, to Jesus (Yeshua) Himself, rose early in the morning to seek the face of God Almighty. They started their day with Him first, knowing that their strength, guidance, needed direction and wisdom, came directly from Him.

Before morning had broken, they had made themselves available by presenting themselves to the Living and Loving God of Israel, for His Majesty’s service.

You want the Lord to move in your life, touch your family, change this nation? Then turn off the TV a half hour before you have been, get to bed, and rise earlier in the morning to spend time with the one you call Lord. It may take 2-3 weeks to break your old habits, but when you have a life yet to live, and an eternity to spend later in heaven, then be even as Nike so commercially speaks out loud and often, and just do it.

You will be eternally grateful you did. The Lord will meet you there.

(Can I get an "Amen!", Mary Smith??!!)

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. You can listen to Cat Stevens here: Morning Has Broken

If these messages have ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$120 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families in Israel whom we consistently help monthly through our humanitarian work. Your tax-deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

  

Please donate online safely through our website. Click here: DONATE  

(or use the DONATE  buttons on the blog.)

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc. 

P.O. Box 414   

Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.) 

Please share Now Think On This with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.  Others will be thankful you did.

Now Think On This #407 - in the year of our Lord 04.07.19 – “Morning Has Broken” – Sunday 6:35 am.