Blanket Victory

Dear Sisters,

Hello! Recently our congregation sang the most beautiful prayer. You’ve probably sung it a time or two yourselves! Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay, close by me forever, and love me, I pray! Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care and take us to heaven, to live with Thee there. Amen? Amen!
Have a blessed week!

BLANKET VICTORY

But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Psalm 88:13

As young girls it was right about this time each year when the temperatures dip cold that my sister Lori and I started battling for larger sections of the puff quilt stuffed with mom’s discarded nylon stockings that topped our bed. Sometimes we made peace on our own. Sometimes one of us would holler from our upstairs bedroom, “Mom! She’s hogging the blankets!”

Dr. Alan Redpath, a Bible teacher from England, says that what American Christians need most is blanket victory. He’s not referring to the battle over warm quilts during frigid winters. It’s his battle cry for God’s children to win victory over the blankets in the morning so there’s more time to pray!

For more years than I’d like to confess, I fought the blankets and the blankets won. It was through His Spirit and the example of a godly woman in my life that I quit making the excuse that I’m not a morning person and made the commitment to set the alarm earlier than the rest of my family so I could meet with Him.

Talk to Him in the morning. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation (Psalm 5:3).

Receive strength for the day ahead. I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble (Psalm 59:16). O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress (Isaiah 33:2).

Obtain your day’s assignment from Him. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul (Psalm 143:8).

Follow Jesus’ example. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 15:1).

To get started may require a shrill alarm that scares you silly so you can’t possibly fall back to sleep, but given time an alarm won’t be necessary at all. You’ll wake on your own looking forward to the best time of the day – quiet, uninterrupted conversation with the Savior.

Prayer Step: If you’re not already in the habit, set your alarm at least 30 minutes before the rest of the family stirs so you can spend precious time talking and listening to God.

It’s better to be sleep deprived than God deprived. Jill Briscoe

Grace and peace,

Lenae