This article is an excerpt from In the Morning You Hear My Voice by Ronnie Martin. It has been used with the permission of The Good Book Company © 2025.

INTRODUCTION 

Listen to my words, LORD;

consider my sighing.

Pay attention to the sound of my cry,

my King and my God,

for I pray to you.

In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice;

in the morning I plead my case to you and watch expectantly.

Psalm 5:1–3

Every morning, I am greeted by the budding light of dawn, sometimes dim, sometimes bright, as the earth springs into existence all around me in marvelous and mysterious movements. I am greeted by a bounty of grace, which provides me with the sight to see, and the senses to savor the seasons that the Lord has created and purposed for me to behold.

Also . . .

I am greeted by the unconscious sighs of the night, where unresolved fears, unsettled anxiety, unrestored relationships, and unanswered questions meet an unspoken longing to be whole and to become better acquainted with joy. Before the morning wanes into the ether of midday, and the first hint of night begins to softly materialize, I remember the Lord. I try not to forget that I am greeted by one who hears my voice, understands all my worrisome words, and sings over me with delight as he forms me into the person I am becoming. In all of my forgetfulness and foolishness, I seek to remember that I am shepherded by Jesus with undiminished love. And good thing too, because I am a fragile mortal with many needs, many disappointments, and many unrealized dreams.

And so are you.

As you journey through this collection of short prayers and brief reflections, let your mind wander a little. Spend a few short seconds, or an hour if you have it, and maybe jot down a word or two as they appear in your mind. Take a moment to wait expectantly for Jesus, remembering that he who made all the winters, springs, summers, and falls, is not so far after all. 

October 10

W I T H 

The autumn sun blinds me with its golden rays

I shield my eyes and soak in its nourishing warmth

It reminds me of the Lord when he spoke with Moses on the mountain

“I’m too bright to look at, Mo, but how ‘bout we do a small glimpse?”

What did that glimpse of God’s backside do to Moses’s heart?

All I know is that God wanted to Moses to see as much of him as possible

So that the people would see that he had been with God

Lord, let people see me like they saw Moses

As one who has been with God