"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he [Jesus] went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." (Mark 1:35, E.S.V.)
Lettie Cowman
Two devotionals came flooding into my heart today that got my attention. Both are from “older women”. God has been teaching me in my latter years (74 next week) that older women have a wisdom that deserves attention. Wisdom is female in Proverbs for a reason. Anyone’s search for wisdom should start with older women. “Lady Wisdom” is featured in my novel (www.playersprogress.com) for a reason.
The first devotional came at 4am with ‘Streams in the Desert’ by Lettie Cowman (1925). Lettie’s devotionals hit me between the eyes virtually every day, but oh today! Her first sentence was- “Yesterday you experienced a great sorrow and now your house seems empty.” I had scribbled in the margins of my well-worn devotional book— “Birdie Bea 2024- her last day”. Oh boy, what a way to start a Tuesday morning.
I took my doggie to the vet last year on March 11 to be ‘put to sleep’, and indeed, the house still feels empty, as all you dog-lovers would appreciate. I smile though remembering that last day with Bea. The vet had Hershey Kisses in a jar in the waiting room- in essence the death chamber. As you perhaps know, chocolate is really bad for dogs so Bea had never tasted it- but this was her final hour- so what the heck. I unwrapped the Hershey Kiss and gave it to her. Her sad and sick face cheered up immediately and she looked back at me, hoping for one more. I could hear her whispering, “Hey man, where has this been all my life?” That moment still has me smiling.
And then, over breakfast, Sue wanted me to read the day’s devotional from Aletha Hinthorn, one of her devotional writers. Forgive me Aletha if you read this for calling you “older”.
ALETHA HINTHORN
Aletha also hit me between the eyes. Her devotional was all about the beauty of God at 3am. Thanks to old age perhaps, I wake up often in the middle of the night. Three AM seems to be a normal wakeup, and it is more than just going to the bathroom. Aletha’s devotional took me back into my childhood, remembering a preacher you surely never heard of. My father loved Tony Anderson, quoted extensively by Aletha in her devotional. He was a teacher at Asbury College and a camp meeting preacher. Google tells me he was born in 1888 and died in 1979. Listen to Tony through Aletha’s words:
“Through the centuries many have found great value in seeking God in the early morning. One of those is the late T. M. Anderson. One January, Dr. Anderson was suddenly awakened at Midnight. He felt he should sleep a few more hours, but at that moment Jesus asked if he could remain awake long enough to give Him time to talk with him in the quiet hours of the morning. He reminded him that there is a fast in denying ourselves sleep just as there is a fast in abstaining from food. For five hours Dr. Anderson waited before the Savior in worship and communion. He later felt no weariness from the loss of sleep.
T.M. ANDERSON
After that nighttime awakening, Dr. Anderson entered into a covenant of prayer with Jesus. The words of Psalm 5:3 formed a part of his covenant: "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord: in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
Dr. Anderson said, "The hours between midnight and six o'clock in the morning are the most peaceful hours of the entire day...If one has retired at a reasonable time; and the body has rested for a few hours, and the mind has been cleared and relieved of the confusions of the day, then he can prevail with God in prayer, as at no other time. I find the most practical time of the morning is from three o'clock to five.”
All of this made me want to know more about ol’ Tony’s life and work as an evangelist, teacher, and preacher. I recalled how much my own father used to quote the old preacher. The internet search located an old sermon he preached in 1971. He was 83. The pace and the sound of his voice, combined with the passion for prayer, made me want to meet him in heaven.
This has filled me with some regret. If I had been smart enough in the 1970’s, I could have spent many hours with Tony Anderson at the end of this life. He lived fifteen miles away. I could have captured the wisdom of a man in his 80’s who was full of wisdom, but I was too busy in law school, completely self-absorbed with my future fame and fortune to think that some ancient preacher had anything to teach me. The arrogance of my 20’s astounds me today. I was literally a fool in many ways.
But it’s never too late. I now know that the early morning hours are indeed the greatest hours of the day. Jesus certainly agreed with that. He loved the dark early morning hours.
Oh, I did start getting up early for the so-called quiet time forty years ago, but in many ways, it was not enough.
I could not imagine that 3AM would be so sweet. I had settled for 5AM. Not bad, but there is even more at 3AM.
So, this morning I offer thanks to the old folks who are teaching me. Lettie Cowman, Aletha Hinthorn, Tony Anderson. See y’all soon.
