“In the instant of awaking let your heart be lifted up to God with a thankful acknowledgement of his mercy to you. For it is he that giveth his beloved sleep, Psa. cxxvii. 2 (127:2); who keepeth you both in soul and body while you sleep, Prov. vi.22; who reneweth his mercies every morning, Lam iii.22,23. For, while you sleep, you are as it were out of actual possession of yourself, and all things else. Now, it was God that kept you and all that you had, and restored them again, with many new mercies, when you awakened.
Arise early in the morning (if you be not necessarily hindered) following the example of our Saviour Christ, John viii. 2, and of the good matron in the Proverbs, Prov. xxxi. 15. For this will usually conduce to the health of your body, and the prosperity, both of your temporal and spiritual state; for hereby you will have the day before you, and will gain the best, and the fittest times for the exercises of religion, and for the works of your calling.
In the time between your awakening and arising (if other suitable thoughts offer not themselves) it will be useful to think upon some of these: I must awake from the sleep of sin, to righteousness, Eph. v. 14 1 Cor. xv. 34; as well as out of bodily sleep, unto labour in my calling. The night is far spent, the day is at hand, I must therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light, Rom. xiii. 11, 12, 13. I must walk honestly as in the day. I am, but the light of grace and knowledge, to arise and walk in it, as well as by the light of the sun to walk by it. Think also of your awaking out of the sleep of death, and out of the grave, 1 Cor. xv. 55; at the sound of the last trumpet, 1 Thess. iv. 16; even of your blessed resurrection unto glory, at the last day. It was one of David’s sweet thoughts (speaking to God) When I awake, I shall be satisfied with thy likeness, Psa. xvii. 15.
- Henry Scudder, The Christian’s Daily Walk, pg. 29-30
