This morning my Apple Watch vibrated to alert me it was time to get up. Atlanta, Georgia is in the Eastern time zone. My watch was correct. It was 5 AM in Georgia, but my body is still more aligned with the Central time zone. I am consuming a second cup of coffee earlier than normal to get thoughts flowing in the right direction.

I did not know where I was when I first awoke. It took a few moments to remember today’s responsibilities and opportunities. On days like this in hotel rooms far from home, I am well pleased by a nice selection of coffee pods for the in-room Keurig. 

Rolling out of bed with a simple prayer of thanksgiving, the day at the starting blocks, the scent of dark-roast coffee in the air, this day begins with moments of calm before greeting dozens of friends new and old. Psalm 5:3 offers guidance. 

King David declares a lesson well learned and found dependable. It is the kind of practice that becomes a life-giving habit. This habit guides through the good times and the bad, the beauty and wonder of delights new and old, and the difficulty and grinding of hard days and hard times. David began his day with prayer, expectant prayer.

Whereas some people consider prayer a waste of breath, David considered prayer the very air he breathed. He said, “in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” He aligned and attuned his heart and mind with God’s as he began his day. He wanted what God wanted. Look at verse 7:

David acknowledges God as God. He agrees that he is not. This is a good place to start. He notes God’s nature and character. He proceeds with humility. David knows where his day is going. He knows who he will encounter. He therefore asks in verse 8,

Adversarial relationships and challenging work environments make it easy to get off track, to exact a pound of flesh, to have my say. David wants a workaround, a better path, the right path leading to the right destination. 

He wraps up this morning song with these words in verse 12:

• King David began his day in expectant prayer. 
• He sought God’s clear direction. 
• He trusted God to guide and to provide. 

Such thoughtful and dependent prayer is why David could write what he did in Psalm 4:8:

King David makes it pretty clear: A prayerful life is a productive life. A prayerful life is a peaceful life.