Waking Thoughts

The Lord is teaching me and blessing me in many ways these past few weeks--blessing me with Himself and teaching me how to walk in Him more fully each day.  I guess I don't feel Him more, but rather I am beginning to see him work in and around my life and so crave Him to be my every present thought.  An important verse that has lingered indirectly in my thoughts recently has been Colossians 3:1-3 as they say--

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."

Every waking thought is to be above, where Christ is.  On Christ.  Every thought.  Whoa!  That completely excites me and challenges me at the same time.  Not only is it a mental effort to be consumed with Christ and his Kingdom, but it also affects what I do so that my actions assist in keeping all that I am set on Christ.

I have learned that [one of] the best things to do is the be intentional about my first waking thought.  Just a few days ago, the importance of this simple concept was revealed to me.  During the night I dreamed that I was singing songs of praise and so I woke up physically singing of the Majesty of the Lord and that he would reign in me.  What a blessing that was to me, for at this moment I didn't even realize the gift that was given to me through those songs.  Yet I found myself throughout the day singing these same songs without much effort, yet meaning these words from the depths of my heart.  It was one of the most worshipful days--and it was so ordinary!  Not only did it bring joy, but it turned my every thought, mood, and moment to Christ, my Lord, the Creator. 

What if it had been any other thought that had first entered my head--whether ungrateful, uneager, filled with anger, dissapointment or even simply neutral thoughts?  What a day I would have missed out on!  And what saddens me is that those thoughts have been my waking thoughts and thus consumed my day all too often. 
Being intentional about my first waking thoughts means I must to be intentional about my last waking thoughts as well.  With what/who or how do I fill that time?  May those also be praise and filled with wonder towards the One who makes each day and through Whom I take each breath.

May the words from my mouth and the thoughts that I have--and thus the things that I do--bring only praise to the One who deserves it all--all day, every day.  Those waking thoughts are a big deal; they make all the difference for the whole day through.
gaBRIElle