Bonhoeffer Blog 2
In chapter 2 of Life Together from Dietrick Bonhoeffer, the idea of rising early for each day that the Lord has made is discussed.
Upon reading, we find out that the Bible tells us that Jesus rose early in the morning to depart from society and begin his day in prayer. Many of us attempt to model this, and do a poor job. We wake up and we may say a mere prayer to thank the Lord for the day. The majority of us then move along with our days and are consumed with that days worries and troubles.
Bonhoeffer speaks directly to this. He says “Some rise early because of restlessness and worry. The Scriptures call this unprofitable. ‘It is vain for you to rise up early…to eat the bread of sorrows (Ps. 127:1).’ But there is such a thing as rising early for the love of God. This was the practice of the men of the Bible.”
In my personal interaction with rising early, I consider myself a “morning person.” Nearly each day I rise prior to the sun coming up. I proceed to get ready, go to the gym, then to college, then to work, and then back home. What I learn in what Bonhoeffer is saying here is that my ritualistic view of the day that is immediately met with the troubles and worries of that day upon my rising is a poor way to greet the day that the Lord has made.
Greeting the day that the Lord has made should not be a simple prayer given after the alarm goes off. Rather, greeting the day involves purposefully meeting the day earlier, and spending purposeful time with the Lord.
Perhaps this is a study of the Scripture. Perhaps this is a serious lengthy prayer. Whatever way you choose to spend time with the Lord, greet the day, and greet it well.
Rising early for the sake off meeting your obligations is not capitalizing on the true benefits of the day that the Lord has made. The Lord made day and night, with each of their characteristics. Greeting the day by greeting the Lord is just one of the abundance of lessons Jesus’s life can teach us so that we may live more according to the Lord in our own lives.
