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.”

How do you start your morning each day? We all recognize King David as a great leader and God even called him a man after His own heart. In this Psalm, David clearly told us how he started his mornings. It should be an example and daily practice for us to follow. Yes, we can pray at any time during the day or night, but our priority should be to pray in the morning before we start the day. A leader should pray before facing the responsibilities and leadership decisions to arise for the day ahead. We need the guidance and wisdom to face the day and to make the right decisions and follow God’s leading and direction. Many times, we know in advance what we will be facing. Other times, we do not know what will arise. In both cases, we need to pray in advance and wait in expectation that God knows and will lead us through the events of the day.

This Scriptural foundation so clearly stated by David applies to every leadership responsibility we will face in home and work. I am now retired from work and so much of my morning prayer life is now focused on my personal Christian walk, my family and my church home. In my previous high profile leadership roles at work, I started each day praying for strength of character, courage and wisdom to make the right decision. I also prayed for my personal witness for Christ. I did this in expectation and confidence that God had heard my voice and would honor His promises. For years, I have continued to pray for my wife, my children, sons-in-law and grandchildren by name. I also pray for my pastor and church each morning. So, how do you start each morning? You are a leader at whatever level or position you have in these areas and don’t let the enemy deceive you that you are not a leader. As a Christian, you are called to be a leader for Christ. He wants to hear your voice in the morning in praise to Him and to hear you share your requests with Him. He wants to hear our heart first and before our requests. He is not a Santa Claus but a caring Father who wants us to be honest with him and wait in expectation to see Him act in our lives.