Rising up early to be with the Lord

(From the book ‘Sermon Sketches’ by Late Rev. Elisha James.)

Abraham rose early to stand before the Lord: “early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD”…Genesis 19:27

Jacob rose early to worship the LORD: “early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz”…Genesis 28:18-19

Moses rose early to meet God at Sinai: “So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands”…Exodus 34:4

Elkanah and Hannah worshipped the LORD early in the morning: “early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah, Elkanah lay with his wife, and the LORD remembered her”…1 Samuel 1:19

Job offered sacrifice early in the morning: “When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. This was Job’s regular custom”…1:5

Jesus went to pray very early in the morning: “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”…Mark 1:35

Jesus rose early in the morning to go to Temple to teach: “At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them”…

John 8:2

People came to the Temple early in the morning to hear Jesus teach: “And all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple”…Luke 21:38