Up Before Dawn
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| Amy Deanne |
Proverbs 31:15
She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. NIV
She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day's work for her servant girls. NLT
She rises also while it is still night And gives food to her household And portions to her maidens. NAS
Psalm 5:3
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. NIV
Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. NLT
In the morning, O LORD, hear my voice. In the morning I lay my needs in front of you, and I wait. GWT
Mark 1:35
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. NIV
Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. NLT
In the morning, long before sunrise, Jesus went to a place where he could be alone to pray. GWT
Observation:
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
She riseth also while it is yet night,.... That is, before the ascent of the morning, as Aben Ezra explains it, before break of day; a great while before day, as Christ is said to rise to pray,Mark 1:35; while it was yet dark; so the church here: which shows her affection for her family, her care of her children, and fervent zeal for her husband's interest and good; a different frame of spirit this from that of hers in Sol 5:2; and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens; in allusion to a daily stated allowance (q) of food given to such; and spiritually may be meant, by her "household" or family, the same with the family of Christ, that is named of himself, which consists of various persons, fathers, young men, and children; and by her "maidens" the ministers of the word; see Proverbs 9:3; who are stewards in the family, and have the food for it put into their hands to dispense; it is by these the church gives meat to her household feeds them with knowledge and understanding, with the wholesome words of Christ, with the good doctrines of the Gospel; these have a certain portion given them, and they rightly cut and divide the word of truth, and give to everyone their portion of meat in due season, according to their age and circumstances; milk indeed to babes and meat to strong men; see Luke 12:42. The Targum renders the word for "portion by service": understanding not a portion of food, but of work, a task set them, and so the word is used in Exodus 5:14. The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, render it, "works", which may be very well applied to the work and service of the Gospel ministry, and the several parts of it.
Application:
Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament:
Early, ere the morning dawns, such a housewife rises up, because she places care for her house above her own comfort; or rather, because this care is to her a satisfaction and a joy.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:
She rises early. She applies herself to the business proper for her, to women's business. She does what she does, with all her power, and trifles not.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, help me to have the desire to rise while it is yet night. I want to have my day prepared to serve You and others. Just like Jesus, I want to start my day spending time with you. For a day hemmed in prayer is less likely to unravel. In Jesus name, amen.
When things are tidy the night before and I go to bed at a decent and regular time, rising early is no problem. But if things are out of order and I stay up late, there's greater temptation to stay in bed.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Jann. I definitely would have a much better morning if lunches and clothes were all set for the morning. I should get into that habit.
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