In the Morning, In the Evening...

"in the cool of the day"

Genesis 3:8

I am not a morning person.  That needs to be said up front.  The longer I'm allowed to sleep, the better.  I wake up more focused, and more energetic and maybe even more pleasant.  But I guess I'm not the one to ask about that...

It's especially true in the colder months, when the bed is warm and cozy.  But it's still true in the summer.  It's one of the dangers of having a TV in the bedroom ~ the temptation to just lie there, informed or entertained by whatever I might turn on. 

But even though I'm still not a morning person in the summer, it's different somehow.  When the weather is cold, I'm inclined to go right from my bed, to the couch with a blanket, and as soon as my mind wakes up a little, I get right into reading the Bible, or my Bible study.  But in the summer, I know it's going to be hot later, so I'm eager to get started on things I won't want to do later, like laundry or vacuuming or housecleaning.  I know me, and when it gets hot, I don't want to do much.  Even my brain can't be relied upon to excel at concentrating.

{Yeah, so I guess I'm not a morning person, 

and I'm not a "hot afternoon" person.  

But the rest of the time, I'm awesome!  Really!}

My plan, on the hot days, is to "accomplish" stuff in the morning, when it's cool, and then reserve the hot part of the day for reading or writing ~ something where I don't have to move very much.  But it often doesn't happen that way.  I end up running errands or watching TV with the kids or reading something.  Maybe the Bible.  But not always.  It's kind of a hit-or-miss, decide-at-the-time, go-with-the-flow kind of thing. 

Not a great plan.

And I got to thinking about the line in Genesis about the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.  Doesn't that sound so wonderful and peaceful?  But I think it's not necessarily about the cool of the day; it's about the best of the day.  Whenever that might be.  First thing in the morning, right after work; when it's cool; when you're not distracted; when you're in the tub; right before bed; when the baby is napping...  

I don't know why Adam and Even didn't walk with Him in the hot of the day, but I picture it like now, and who'd want to go walking in the hottest part of the day?  So why would I think that the worst part of my day is the time I should give Him?  Whether that "worst" part is when I'm hot, or busy, or in a rush or whatever, it's insulting to not make time for Him at all, and it's insulting to give Him my "leftover" time. 

Of course He's with me always, and of course I can cry to Him when things are at their worst.  But I think there's so much potential for growth in prayer, and in His Word, when I'm at my best. 

In the cool, in the calm, in the quiet,
     I will find Him waiting for me.

~ "My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;

In the morning I will direct it to You,

And I will look up" ~

Psalm 5:3

~