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Permission Granted: Your Chauntecleer Moment

taking time daily to connect with God
through prayer, reading God's Word & reflection
is the best way to create a strong foundation for our lives


In 1978, Walter Wangerin released The Book of the Dun Cow, and it's still hard to classify what exactly he wrote.  Part fable, part children's book, and part Christian wisdom literature, the story opens with a proud, dignified rooster named Chauntecleer stepping forth to awaken the day with his morning call.  

Wangerin goes out of his way to make Chauntecleer's initial crow a truly spectacular event, and for good reason.  This basic, daily, orderly exercise is more than just putting on a show.  Chauntecleer's daily crow is what keeps evil at bay, provides structure to the day, and calls forth community amongst the other animals.  In other words, Chauntecleer's crow is a metaphor for an essential part of our spiritual lives.

To Wangerin, Chauntecleer's daily act of a good morning crow is what daily prayer does for us.  We have different ways of naming this time:  morning prayer, our daily devotional, our quiet time, or just spending time in the Word.  But, whatever we call this time, it is the starting block for developing a deeper sense of God's peace, strength and support for our lives.  And, like Chauntecleer, the best thing we can do for ourselves and for the world around us is to do this seemingly ordinary thing.

This week, grant yourself the permission to make this an essential part of your day.  You will know what time will work best for you.  Perhaps it will be in the morning with a cup of coffee or tea.  Perhaps it will have to wait until you take your lunch break.  Perhaps it will be at the close of the day.  Or, it may just need to be five minutes you can take amidst your many demands today.  But, however you seize this opportunity, start by giving yourself the permission to do it.

Make it a priority because everything else will try to interrupt it.  You know this already.  Life and work (and your phone!) will be demanding your attention and telling you that there's no time for such a luxury.

But don't ever forget this:  This quiet time with God is the most important part of your day.  

It is your chance to share with God what is on your heart.  

It is your chance to hear God's orienting good news amidst all the chaos of life and this world.  

You can get this good word by simply turning to the Psalms or starting to read one of the gospel letters or from Paul's letters.  Many people, though, find it helpful to use a devotional books like Our Daily Bread and The Upper Room (both available here at our church).  A good devotional book will help you make this a daily habit.  So too can be targeting a goal early on, like shooting for five straight days of keeping at it.  See if you can go for one week of making this time a priority in your life.  And don't worry if you miss a day.  This is all about grace, about receiving God's care for you, and God will be grateful whenever you have time to return to Him.  

So, when would you like to seize your Chauntecleer moment?  

Go ahead and give yourself permission today to claim this joy and this source of strength.  Just as Chauntecleer calls out unabashadly each and every day, take great joy and delight in knowing that you are doing what you were made to do:  to worship God and receive God's strength for your life.

~Pastor Wes

Other recommended devotionals for daily prayer:


  

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