As the Day Begins
Samuel Moor Shoemaker’s observation cuts against the grain of sentimental faith: “We are not part of a nice, neat creation, set in motion by a loving God; we are part of a mutinous world where rebellion against God is the order of the day.” That statement resonates deeply with the witness of Scripture, particularly the apostle Paul’s sober assessment of the human condition in Romans. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, NIV). The Greek verb hysterountai (ὑστεροῦνται), translated “fall short,” carries the sense of continual lack, not a single misstep but an ongoing condition. As the day begins, we are reminded that we awaken not into a morally neutral landscape, but into a creation groaning under the weight of human rebellion, a reality Scripture never minimizes.
Yet the biblical story does not leave us in despair. Paul’s diagnosis of sin is immediately followed by God’s decisive action in Christ. The rebellion Shoemaker describes is not merely external, “out there” in systems or cultures; it is internal, lodged in the human heart. Jeremiah names it plainly: “The heart is deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9). The Hebrew term ʿaqōb (עָקֹב) suggests something twisted or crooked. Morning devotion, then, is not an exercise in positive thinking but an act of honest alignment. We begin the day acknowledging the truth about ourselves and our world, so that grace may meet us where we actually stand.
This awareness reframes how we walk into the ordinary demands of the day. Workplaces, schools, families, and even churches bear the marks of this mutiny. Conflict, misunderstanding, and disappointment should not surprise us. Yet neither should mercy, patience, and sacrificial love, because God has not abandoned His creation. In Ephesians 2, Paul reminds believers that while we were once “dead in trespasses and sins,” God made us alive in Christ. The Greek word nekrous (νεκρούς), “dead,” underscores helplessness, but it is answered by divine initiative. Morning faith is lived in that tension: realism about sin, confidence in grace, and willingness to participate in God’s redemptive work throughout the day.
Triune Prayer
Father, as I begin this day, I come honestly before You, acknowledging that I live in a world marked by rebellion and that I am not immune to it. You are holy, steadfast, and faithful, even when Your creation resists Your ways. I thank You that You are not shocked by human brokenness nor weary of extending mercy. Search my heart this morning and expose where pride, self-reliance, or quiet disobedience have taken root. Grant me humility to see myself clearly and courage to depend fully on Your grace as I step into the responsibilities of this day.
Jesus the Son, I thank You that You entered this mutinous world without compromise or fear. You bore the weight of our rebellion in Your body on the cross and overcame it through obedience and resurrection life. As I face frustrations, temptations, and moments of weariness today, help me to remember that You have already walked this road. Shape my responses so that they reflect Your patience, truth, and sacrificial love. Teach me to take up my cross in small, faithful ways, trusting that obedience in the ordinary is never wasted in Your kingdom.
Holy Spirit, I invite You to guide my thoughts, words, and actions today. In a world resistant to God’s ways, I need Your wisdom to discern what is good and Your strength to pursue it. When I am tempted to conform to patterns of resentment, fear, or self-protection, gently redirect my heart toward Christ. Empower me to bear spiritual fruit that points beyond myself to God’s renewing work. Keep me attentive to Your promptings so that my life today becomes a quiet testimony of grace at work.
Thought for the Day
Begin the day with clear eyes about the world’s brokenness and a steady heart anchored in God’s redeeming grace, choosing obedience over illusion.
Thank you for beginning your day in God’s presence.
For further reflection on living faithfully in a fallen world, see this article from The Gospel Coalition:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/
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