How does your morning begin? After I’ve hit the snooze button once or twice, I glance out a bedroom window. If the sun is up, I admire its light filtering through one of our tree’s big green leaves.
The sight reminds me the Light of the World wants to shine through my life, and He invites me to walk with Him through a new day of adventures.
The thoughts prompt memories of the times my family rounded the last curve in the long country driveway to spend the day with my parents. Daddy, who’d been standing on the porch to wait for us, would wear a broad smile when he hurried to the car to welcome his children and grandchildren.
Imagine our heavenly Father standing on the porch of heaven before He illuminates the sky with warm light and paints splashes of color in the eastern sky. I imagine God stretching out His arms in anticipation of sharing the day He has made with His beloved child.
He doesn’t reach out to us from obligation or duty. His invitation is born of love, unconditional love. Love that sent His only Son to die for you and me.
Whether we bounce up with gusto in the morning, or roll out slowly, we can proclaim,
“This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24 NKJV
Our heavenly Father knows we need Him, and each morning He waits and beckons us to spend the day with Him.
Our heavenly Father knows we need Him, and each morning He waits and beckons us to spend the day with Him. Click To Tweet
My favorite morning prayer often serves as my RSVP to God’s invitation.
Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.
Psalm 143:8 NKJV
Let’s consider the powerful RSVP strategies below to help us react with joy.
How to RSVP to God’s Daily Walk Invitation
R Respond to His invitation. We can respond to God
with love because He first loved us.
with awe because He is Almighty God.
with our questions which He welcomes.
with thanksgiving for generous blessings.
in repentance when His Spirit convicts us of sin.
with obedience which demonstrates love for Him.
with the delight of a beloved child placing her hand in her Father’s.
S Spend time with Him at His invitation
in service to others as He leads us.
in worship and praise as we ponder His attributes.
in laughter when the joy of Jesus bubbles up in our hearts.
in prayer, an engaged conversation throughout the day (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
in His Word filled with wise counsel and fresh revelation to apply to our lives.
V Value what He values
by trusting Him.
by using our spiritual gifts to serve others.
by helping a person in need (Hebrews 13:6).
by living for God’s glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).
by giving our money, possessions, time, and talents.
by telling someone about our daily walk with Jesus and His grace and mercy.
by remembering to “Do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8 NKJV).
P Proclaim truths from His Word.
“Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning” (Lamentations 3:23 NLT).
“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18 NKJV).
“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8 NKJV).
“Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy hill. For the Lord our God is holy” (Psalm 99:9 NKJV).
“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11 NKJV).
Like the way my dad delighted in our family spending time with him, God delights in our acceptance of His invitation to walk with Him each day. Our powerful RSVP of “Yes, Lord,” fills our hearts with His peace and joy, helps us enjoy His presence, and honors our Father in heaven.
How does God invite you to join Him and remind you of His presence? Please share the ways you walk with Him through your day.
Love, love, love this acrostic Ms. Jeannie. Had never considered these thoughts as part of my morning “God time.” So glad I did today; as this is something I’ll remember to do for sure.
J. D., I’m glad you like the acronym. I like your title of “God time” to label your morning time with God. I usually call mine “my appointment with God,” and like you, try not to miss it.
Every morning, I open my eyes and thank the Lord for the day and all His many blessings. 🙂
What a wonderful way to start your day, Melissa. Thank you for sharing your practice with us. Gratitude is the perfect way to begin your daily walk with God.
Many mornings I wake up with a song in my spirit. He beckons me with the lyrics and sing my heart with him.
Carla, when I read your mention of music, I thought of the book of Psalms. Music is a wonderful way to praise the Father and keep our minds focused on Him. Thanks for sharing.
I love your porch analogy. I grew up in a house with a long front porch, the width of the house. That’s where my dad could most often be found studying the heavens–cloud formations in the day, everything the night sky held from dusk onward. Thanks for the memories.
Peggy, I’m glad the post fostered warm memories for you, and I appreciate you sharing them. Simply looking toward the heavens can direct our thoughts to God. Your dad practiced beholding God’s creation day and night.
I love your idea of RSVP’s to the Lord’s invitations. He is always holding out His hand to us offering gifts of love, grace, mercy, and provision. We miss out on so much if we don’t accept that invitation.
Barbara, you’re so right we miss out on His blessings when we don’t spend time with Him. I enjoy time with Him on the deck and really miss that when my quiet time is shorter and inside. I love the gifts you mentioned, and there are so many more. Thanks so much for reading.
I love sitting on a porch and enjoying the morning quiet time. I wish I could do it more often, but our heat here can be too much to enjoy. But, it does make me feel closer to God.
I love sitting on the deck for my daily appointment with God, but He meets us wherever we are, as I’m sure you’ve found. He invites us into His throne room from any location. Thank you, Yvonne for reading and sharing your thoughts with us.
The Lord’s invitations are many and I wonder how many times I delay or ignore and choose another invitation that I think suits me better. Your RSVP is a great reminder to pause and value.
I sometimes do the same, Marilyn. I want to RSVP with an immediate yes but sometimes think another time will be better, as you mentioned. He desires our yes answer and obedience.
I love your perspective of our time spent with God being an ongoing RSVP. And your acrostic reminders are spot-on. Thanks for helping us look at it in a new way and (hopefully) appreciate the beauty of that invitation even more.
Leigh, I like the way you referred to God’s invitations as beautiful. They are indeed. When we realize His love and His awareness of our need for Him causes the Father to invite us, we’re more likely to RSVP immediately. Thanks for sharing your comments.
Your inspiring post sent a ray of sunshine my way, Jeannie. I love the word picture of your father waiting to greet you on a family visit. The image of our Heavenly Father waiting for us with joy is beautiful. Thank you for brightening our day and sending assurance of God’s delight in us.
Katherine, your comments brought a smile. I, too, like the image of God standing on the front porch of heaven waiting for us to spend time with Him. He knows we need close communion with Him. Thanks so much.
Great acronym! I loved the thought of invitation. Time with Jesus first thing is the best part of my day. I am not a morning person, but His beckoning brightens my beginning!
I love this sentence in your comments, Sylvia: “I am not a morning person, but His beckoning brightens my beginning!” Sometimes when I can, I go back to sleep , but at other times, I’m
eager to begin my day with Him.
I love waking up in the summers in Montana. We sleep with the windows open and the sun is shining and birds are chirping (except when they start at 4:30 am). I just feel Gods presence when I wake up to the sights and sounds of His creation.
Love this.. “Our powerful RSVP of “Yes, Lord,” fills our hearts with His peace and joy, helps us enjoy His presence, and honors our Father in heaven.” Yes, Lord!
I begin each day with coffee and a morning devotion. Inviting God into my day helps me focus on His plans and desires for me. Thank you for sharing this encouraging post.
I agree, Dawn, “Inviting God into my day helps me focus on His plans and desires for me.” He’s there waiting each day to join us.
Such a wonderful post about God welcoming us each morning! I loved the picture of your Dad waiting on the porch to welcome you and your family! Thank you, Jeannie, for a great way to RSVP with God each day!
You’re welcome, Kathy. Our Father knows we need fellowship with Him.
What wonderful thoughts you present to us here, Jeannie! Your RSVP thoughts have helped me to think clearly about my daily choices with God. Thank you!
Annie, I’m glad the post helped you. His invitation is always open which speaks of His love.
Jennifer, your mornings sound delightful, except when they begin at 4:30! 😉 It’s lovely to sense His presence as soon as we wake up. Thanks for reading.
What a rich and encouraging message, Jeannie. Such a beautiful image, God on His porch loving us! I love the RSVP application. Thanks and God bless!
Nancy, I’m glad you liked the RSVP application. I thought of it again this morning and wanted to immediately reply, “Yes.” Isn’t God gracious to invite us on daily walks?