Devotional

Rise Early and Listen

3 min read

“And Joshua rose early in the morning.” — Joshua 3:1

Joshua is repeatedly shown rising early (Joshua 3:1; 6:12; 7:16; 8:10). In each of these passages, his early rising is followed by action. There is a sense of readiness—an eagerness to obey and to see what God will do.

Our first attention in the morning is valuable. I know how easy it is to give mine to the news, see what technology has been released or begin reading emails. None of these things is necessarily wrong, but before I know it, I look at the time and I am late for work. More importantly, God’s Word has been crowded out. That familiar experience reveals how quickly I can prize other things before time with God.

If someone you treasured wrote you a letter, would you read it? Of course. We make time for what we value.

Joshua’s relationship with God did not suddenly appear when Moses died. Long before he led Israel, he had heard God’s Word and witnessed God’s works. Over decades, truth became conviction. His habit of rising early was not a technique for earning God’s favour. It reflected a heart ready to listen and obey.

We should also share what God teaches us. Imagine Joshua returning to his family after seeing the Jordan divided or Jericho fall. Surely he would have spoken about what God had done. Retelling God’s faithfulness strengthens our own memory and encourages those around us.

I have seen something of this in my own home. I am blessed with a wife and children who read God’s Word and share what they discover. I receive the same blessing from my small group and from the preaching of Scripture at church. Their insights often renew my own sense of wonder and help me notice something I might otherwise have missed.

There is another benefit to sharing. As a father, I am sometimes reminded by my children of something I once did or said but have long since forgotten. In the same way, when we tell others what God has shown us, they can help preserve the memory. Their reminder may later encourage us to keep going through a difficult season.

You may not naturally be a morning person, and Scripture does not make a particular hour the measure of devotion. The deeper question is this: does God receive attentive, deliberate time in your life, or only what remains after everything else?

Consider

  • What usually receives your first and best attention?
  • What small change would help you approach Scripture more deliberately?
  • Who could you encourage this week by sharing something you have learned from God’s Word?

Prayer

Lord, give me an appetite for Your Word. Help me to put aside distractions, listen carefully and respond obediently. Make me eager to see Your work and ready to tell others of Your faithfulness. Amen.