I am a morning person. I love leaping out of bed as soon as I hear the birds chirping from my cellphone alarm app. Ah nature! I immediately head to the kitchen, whistling a happy tune, with a bounce in my step . . . a bounce like a flat basketball.

If I'm honest, mornings can be a challenge. Especially when six inches of snow cover the whole Fraser Valley floor. Thankfully, I have a secret weapon that helps drag my reluctant self out of bed in the morning-coffee.

For me, there is nothing more soothing than the sound of the gentle percolation and the rich smell of the steam as it spreads through the house.

That first cup of coffee has a way of making me feel like the day is starting off right.

(Don't worry, I'm not addicted; I just have an uncontrollable dependence on it.) A morning coffee has just become part of my routine.

What is the thing you do to start your day off right? Maybe it's making breakfast, brushing your teeth or perusing the paper. I have a friend who likes to do Sudoku puzzles first thing in the morning. To each their own, I suppose.

Now, being partial to a morning espresso, or whatever your "day starter" happens to be, is all well and good, but I wonder if we are missing out on something more important at the start of our day-prayer.

How many of us spend a few moments at the beginning of our day to simply acknowledge the presence of God and ask him for guidance and help? Although I'm not a betting man, I hazard a guess that most of us tend to overlook prayer as an important aspect of our lives.

Perhaps it is because we often can't see the immediate results of our prayers; perhaps it is because things are generally going fine, so why pray? Or perhaps, for some, it is because belief in God is not a part of their mindset. I can relate to all of these reasons, as I have voiced them myself at certain times in my life. However, regardless of the reasons not to pray, I can't help but think that, more often than not, we human beings could use some help and guidance in our lives. So my question is: Do we ask God for help? Do we go to him in prayer, or do we try to make it on our own?

In the Bible, Matthew chapter 14 records an amazing account in the lives of Jesus and his disciples. The disciples are in their boat, stuck in a vicious storm. Jesus walks out on the water, calling out to them that they need not be afraid. One of them, Peter, responds, "If it's really you, tell me to come to you." Jesus does so, and Peter steps out on the water. After a few steps, however, Peter begins to fear and starts to sink, and it is in this moment that he prays one of the best prayers anyone can ever pray: "Lord, save me."

Peter asks Jesus for help. Simple, short and sincere. Whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, I propose an experiment: As you start your day, say a short prayer, asking God for guidance and help. Then let's go for coffee and chat about how it went.

Matt Rempel is a pastor with Revolution Church and can be reached at: matt@revolutionchurch.ca

Revolution Church