A Bedtime Workout

I'm still making my way through the Minor Prophets of the Old Testament; those 12 smallish books that follow Daniel and come before Matthew.  

One thing I have concluded so far is that I am not applying for any "Minor Prophet Needed" ads.  These guys did not have a cheery job.  Most of their messages dealt with doom and gloom, bringing God's message of "You people are messing up big time and are going to pay a price unless you turn from your wicked ways NOW!"

Micah had the privilege(?) of carrying this news to the towns and people along the Mediterranean Coastline of Judah and Israel.  At least that's the conclusion I came to as I did a bit of research.  

One of the warnings Micah delivered was:

"Woe to those who scheme iniquity,

who work out evil on their beds!

When morning comes, they do it,

for it is in the power of their hands."

 Micah 2:1

The word "woe" usually gets my attention so I "whoa" and take time to think about what follows that word "woe". 

Micah was addressing those late night thinkers who were planning mischief in the wee hours of darkness.  I imagine them lying there making their plans for the next day.  And as they fall asleep dreaming and scheming, the plans materialize in their heads and by the time they awake the next morning, they are convinced that they can pull it off and then proceed to do it.

Whoa!  So what am I pondering as I fall asleep at night? No, I don't make it a habit of lying there plotting what mischief I could possibly bring upon my little world the next day. But still, what do I go to sleep "scheming"?  What plans are on my mind as I drift off into dreamland?  

Sometimes I think about "ALL" I need to accomplish the next day and think "Woe is me!"  For some reason I seem to have that mind set on Sunday nights that precede Monday mornings.  

Mondays are often: 

•  spend-time-with-Hubby-because-it's-his-day-off Days

•  get-the-laundry-caught-up Days 

•  start-or-work-on-or-finish-up-the-4-Bible-Study-preps-   I-have-for-the-week Days 

•  get-out-of-the-house-early-for-MOPS Days 

•  finish-reading-the-book-for-Book-Club-that-night Days

•  get-the-first-workout-of-the-week-in Days

So on a Sunday night as I hit the hay I can have a mindset of "I hate Mondays" or I can be thankful that I have a productive day awaiting me in the morning.  I can fall asleep thinking "I can't do all that" (as opposed to the Micah guys who were thinking "We can do this evil stuff we are planning") or I can dream about all that I can do through Christ tomorrow.  

Somewhere I remember reading or hearing someone say that a good morning starts the night before.  Even though the night thinkers in Micah 2:1 were planning evil I think the same principle can work in planning good.  

So as I lay me down to sleep tonight, I will purpose to have thoughts of praise, thanksgiving and joyful anticipation so that "when morning comes, I will do it, for it is in the power of their hands."

Sweet Dreams, Everyone.