God's Higher Mathematics

 

With God

we shall do valiantly.

It is He who will

   tread down our foes.

           Psalm 108. 13

(This was not

    David's first rodeo,

nor his first desperation.

He knew he could not

       go it alone

in whatever the fear,

both real and imagined.

With God

    completely changes

    the equation.

Valiantly in the Hebrew

   does not mean

   an instant effortless win,

but acting with strength

     as with an army.

We are not alone.

And with God

      in any capacity,

surprising things happen.)

O LORD,

We rely on You,

          Almighty One.

Not in our control.

Not in our skill set.

But with all our strength

   coming from You,

all our strength

    abiding in You.

O God,

we ask You to enter in

           this situation.

And You reply,

      "Already here."

Help us to be aware of You.

The variables may remain

                 the same,

but You change the equation.

It is not about an answer

        or solution

        or victory in our eyes,

but all about Your glory.

 

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A Much Larger 24 Hours

 

And Samuel prayed

     to the LORD.

       1 Samuel 8. 6

(Enough said.

That sentence alone

tells us everything

         about Samuel.

Praying is not all

     we need to do,

but how the LORD

guides us in what to do.

First things first,

and that would be

         to pray.

Have I even considered

what the LORD has to say

     about this situation?

He shows us His way through.

He reveals His heart in this.

Not just what to do,

    but how to be His in it.

God orchestrates our days

   --even the so-called

             ordinary ones--

     for His glory.

When we pray,

   we become aware

   and responsive to Him,

instead of just reacting

      to circumstances.

And our praying

   leaves a witness there.)

O LORD,

As we walk into this day,

  may we choose

  to walk with You in it.

Soften our hearts

    and change our minds

Talk us into what to do

  and how to honor You

  in the ordinary

            or unexpected.

You reveal Yourself

         every day to us.

Open our eyes

   and enlarge our prayers

that we would see

  not only Your wonders

but how we can serve You.

Unexpected Courage In Unlikely Places

 

The Phinehas stood up

       and intervened,

and the plague was stayed.

              Psalm 106. 30

(Phinehas knew it was

 time to pray, to intercede,

to do something

     about the turmoil

     or the brokenness,

to bring peace as best

     as he was able.

Prayer is not

   an optional activity,

nor an excuse not to act,

but the most vital element

       in our response.

Prayer makes us aware,

not just to a solution,

but to the Presence

           of the Almighty.

The most profound thing

   we can do is pray.

When Phinehas prayed,

God gave him

    the courage to stand.)

O LORD,

You are our strength

           and shield.

You grant us

     the courage to stand,

no matter the situation

         in front of us.

You grant us

      the wisdom 

not just to know

   what to do

but even how to

       pray about it.

Be Thou our vision.

But One Thing We Can Know

 

But He said to them,

"It is I.

 Do not be afraid."

         John 6. 20

(We are not in this alone.

Nor is it something random,

      or a wrong turn,

      or a dead end.

How would we approach this

    differently if we knew

    God is in this?

God does not work in

     mysterious ways,

but in steadfast love

          and goodness,

even when we don't understand.

But one thing we can know:

   Trust Me in this.)

O LORD,

We tread in the familiar

    and the unknown.

Help us to not just know

    You are with us,

but that You are bringing

    Your glory

    and deep purposes

to what we only see

    as circumstances.

We do not know

       what to do,

but we can turn our eyes

        upon You.

This may be the ride of our lives

  or what looks like

  any ordinary day,

but You are still with us.

And that makes

     all the difference.

Not Lost In Translation

 

For those who honor Me,

I will honor.

            1 Samuel 2. 30

(This is not a conditional

if/then statement,

       but a lingering promise.

When we honor God,

   something always happens.

As we go into this day,

whether in achievement or defeat,

whether blue skies or storms,

may we carry His name here,

invite the weighty imprint

    of His Presence,

pursue His honor

and not our own arrogance.

Selfless acts and

    God-honoring choices

speak a foreign language

       in our society,

but His glory

     is not lost in translation.)

O LORD,

May we honor You

in whatever we do today.

Please reveal to us

  what that looks like

         in real time.

Refresh our hearts

   that we would join You

in the outworkings

  and redeeming

         of our circumstances.

Help us to know how to respond

   with Your steadfast love.

And write Your holy Name

   all over this situation.

  

Can't Touch Bottom and Way Over My Head

 

He rebuked the Red Sea,

and it became dry,

and He led them

through the deep

as through a desert.

       Psalm 106. 9

(Never deny His glory.

Never explain Him away.

No, we couldn't have

   done this at all

   without Him.

If it were not difficult

       or impossible,

would we even turn to God

  or acknowledge His hand?

What is my Red Sea

   right now in front of me?

God brings us through

   to His great goodness,

even in what we can't

       quite see yet.

Something out of our view,

     but not out of His sight.

And it just may be

what someone else needs

        to witness.)

O LORD,

We all struggle with something,

    deep and stormy,

and we don't just forget how to swim.

  We forget to follow You into it.

We ask You today,

not to remove the hard stuff,

    but strengthen us in it.

Reveal Yourself to us

   in what we experience.

Saturate Your glory

   all the way through.

Help us to be faithful

  to take a step into the deep.

You made a way through

     the Red Sea.

You guide us through our own.

Rocky Road Is Not Just An Ice Cream Flavor

 

He will guard the feet

of His faithful ones....

          1 Samuel 2. 9

(God does not promise that

there are not potholes,

nor that life will not be hard,

but He covers, sustains

and strengthens us

        with His Presence.

Even on this rocky road

      we walk today.

The journey will

   never be the same.

The faithful ones go forth

        differently into the day,

because they know they are

seen, heard,

      and deeply loved.

It is not that we will

    never trip up,

but in His hands,

       God redeems

in the most incredible ways.

And when we fall,

       He catches us

   and sets us back

   on our feet again.)

O LORD,

This is a scary and broken world.

Please cover us with Your shield.

Direct our feet

            and our hearts

   to what bears fruit

   and brings glory to You.

We know that others

       are watching us

to see the goodness You bring,

the strength You

        generously give,

and the secret joy

   that changes everything

   about us,

even where we go

and how we walk there.

Let Your footsteps

      be a guide to us

and a witness to the world.