“O GOD, You are my God; Early will I seek You” (Psalm 63:1a, NKJV). In this scripture, the psalmist David proclaims, “Early will I seek You,” and we can apply his declaration to our own lives on several different levels.
First of all, we should remember to seek the Lord early each day. Every morning, let’s be mindful that the day is a gift from God, and we are alive on this earth for a reason. At the start of every day, we should re-submit our will to His in order to fulfill our purpose. “This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
If you have things weighing on your mind as you wake up in the morning, it’s good to go ahead and roll those over to the Lord. Commit your concerns to God, and trust Him to work them out. Ask God for wisdom to guide you in the decisions you’ll make. Indeed, there’s no better way to start your day than seeking the Lord!
Secondly, we should seek God early in different situations we encounter. Don’t wait until circumstances have blown up into a huge crisis before you seek the Lord. Ask for His guidance at the onset of each new endeavor. Seek Him early in relationships you develop with others. Seek Him early in your considerations of a new job or career. Seek Him early before making major purchases. Seek Him early in all the plans you make.
There are some great examples in the Bible of people who sought the Lord early before taking action. For instance, when Nehemiah heard that his beloved Jerusalem was in distress with damaged city walls, he was heartbroken. However, before taking any action, he prayed and sought the Lord fervently. Then, he asked the king for permission to go to Jerusalem to lead a rebuilding project. He ended up leading an extremely successful effort, but the plan started with prayer.
Similarly, when Queen Esther decided to try to stop an evil plan against the Jewish people, she and all the Jews in the region fasted for three days before she approached the king with the matter. She could have rushed to action, but she wisely sought the Lord with prayer and fasting first. In the end, her approach worked, and the Jewish people were saved from harm.
In both cases, Nehemiah and Esther were wise to seek God early concerning the strategic action they were to take. Sometimes, we get it backward by coming up with our own plans, and then asking God to bless them! But it’s always better to seek Him early and follow His plan.
Finally, we should seek the Lord early in life and teach each new generation to do so. It’s important to expose our children to the truth of God’s word and the power of His Spirit at a young age. Yes, people can turn to the Lord at any age, but a person’s potential is maximized when he or she surrenders to Christ early in life and stays on His path. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
As we strive to be examples for younger generations, let’s model the importance of seeking the Lord. Indeed, the greatest lesson we can teach our children is to seek the Lord early.
Reflections 