And when in time to come

your son asks you,

     "What does this mean?"

you shall say to him,

"By a strong hand

the LORD brought us

               out of Egypt,

from the house of slavery"

                Exodus 13. 14

(Do those around you

know your story

of God's deliverance?

When and how you came

   to know Him as Savior and Lord?

His ongoing chronicle of faithfulness

                 in your life?)

...with your belt fastened,

your sandals on your feet,

and your staff in your hand.

                   Exodus 12. 11

(That is what

a willing heart looks like.

How to pray,

            how to obey.)

But for this purpose,

I have raised you up,

to show you My power,

so that

  My name may be proclaimed

  in all the earth.

                Exodus 9. 16

(Why this?  Why now?

Strategically positioned

     to bring the name of Jesus there.)

But the LORD said to Moses,

"Now you shall see

           what I will do..."

                   Exodus 6. 1

(God specializes

          in impossible situations.

Follow Me into this.

"...but the day will come

when we will see

what He has accomplished

           through this."

                 --Jerram Barrs

                 Heart of Evangelism)

...that they may believe

that the LORD,

the God of their fathers,

the God of Abraham,

the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob,

          has appeared to you.

            Exodus 4. 5

(Live in such a way

that others

are compelled to see

  the transformation of Christ

                 in you.)

...go to the sea

and cast a hook

and take the first fish

          that comes up,

and when you open its mouth

you will find a shekel.

                  Matthew 17. 27

(Obey even in what

makes absolutely no sense at all.

God does not provide

               in obvious ways

but obedient ways

         through the unexpected,

that we would know

        He provides,

and that it didn't "just happen."

Things do not just work out.

           God brings it.)

As for you,

you meant evil against me,

but God meant it for good,

to bring it about

  that many people should be kept alive,

as they are today.

               Genesis 50. 20

(God redeems everything.

Good does not "just happen,"

but God brings it

     into many different layers

     for generations.)

...but God will be with you...

                 Genesis 48. 21

(How does that reality change

     how I am approaching

this dilemma,

this mystery,

this relationship,

the very course of my life?)

        

"Do not be afraid

     to go down to Egypt.

...I Myself will go down

           with you to Egypt."

            Genesis 46. 3

(Not on Jacob's radar

but completely

in God's design for him,

for the welfare

        of many people,

and God's glory.

Do not be afraid.)

...for God sent me before you

            to preserve life.

...and to keep alive for you

            many survivors.

So it was not you

who sent me here,

                   but God.

                   Genesis 45. 6-8

(There is a lot more at stake here

     than my own personal comfort.

God never works

                in singular dimensions.

An eternal perspective trusts God

in whatever is on my path,

wherever He places me,

       His divine appointments.

Even in deepest mystery,

          God is profoundly working.

There is nothing He cannot redeem.)

He made my feet

like the the feet of a deer

and set me secure

              on the heights.

...You gave a wide place

        for my steps under me,

and my feet did not slip.

                     Psalm 18. 33, 36

(Daily seeking Him

and practicing His Presence

prepares me

for the scariest places of life,

even those I don't see coming.

What only looks insignificant

    is transformed into the profound,

learning how to walk

             on slippery slopes

and where there appears

        no path at all.

Every experience

    builds faithfulness

    and banishes fear.)

Can we find a man like this,

in whom is the

       Spirit of God?

            Genesis 41. 38

(Does anyone see

    any difference in me?

Having a relationship

               with the Almighty

       should look very different

   in what I do,

   how I choose to respond,

   how I love others in it.

 God has

   strategically positioned me

right here in this place

       for His eternal purposes.

Nothing random about it.)

"It is not in me,

         but God...."

          Genesis 41. 16

(Who gets the credit?

God is not glorified

by our successes

and achievements

and perfection,

but faithfulness to Him along the way,

no matter dire circumstances

        or favorable situation,

seizing every opportunity

    to point others to Him.

Do others see me

        as just a nice person,

or do they know

       God's story in me?)

Do not withhold good

  from those to whom it is due,

when it is in your power

                          to do it.

                  Proverbs 3. 27

(And that is never limited

by money and stuff.

Giving is always subject

         to higher math.

God multiplies exponentially.

Nothing is ever insignificant

                  in God's economy.

What has God given me to do

          in this situation?)

Do not be afraid of sudden terror

      or the storm of the wicked,

      when it comes,

for the LORD will be your confidence

and will keep your foot

            from being caught.

                     Proverbs 3. 25-26

(Walk with the LORD

 and learn to trust Him

             in the everydays,

and not be tripped up with fear,

               even in this.

The storm will come,

but I don't have to

                   be afraid of it.

My trust in God

          is built in layers,

    not dependent on circumstances,

but empowers me to be responsive,

      and even strengthened by them.

Anxiety just tangles me up,

             weighs me down,

and distracts me from God's way in this.)

Come to Me,

all who labor

     and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you,

    and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and lowly in heart,

and you will find

           rest for your souls.

For My yoke is easy,

       and My burden is light.

              Matthew 11. 28-30

(Jesus did not promise

that life would be easy

             and without trouble,

but "I am with you.

          Come to Me with that.")

And whoever gives one of these little ones

       even a cup of cold water

because he is a disciple,

truly I say to you,

he will by no means lose his reward.

                  Matthew 10. 42

(No act of kindness,

love and grace

      is ever insignificant.

Kindness is never random.

What is the cup of cold water

              in this situation?

God changes our hearts

so that we see others differently,

        our response to Him,

        our response to them.

We can never know

             how God uses a single act,

             or word, or even attitude.

He always works in multiple outcomes.)

Now then,

whatever God has said to you,

                          do.

                       Genesis 31. 16

(Whenever we respond

to what God has placed on our path

and on our hearts,

                He is with us.

No matter if I don't feel qualified,

no matter if I am qualified at all,

or worthy,

or have those skills,

or can't see the outcome,

trust Him and follow Him into it.

There is something deeper at stake

       than I can even see.)

              

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep

and said,

"Surely the LORD is in this place,

and I did not know it."

                    Genesis 28. 16

(God has strategically

positioned you for His purposes

              and for His glory,

even in the most ridiculous places

and among the most unlikely people.

Nothing "just happens,"

nothing random,

but all intricately engineered

                for the gospel.

"I am with you wherever you are."

Even here.)

So he called its name Rehoboth,

saying,

"For now the LORD

         has made room for us,

and we shall be fruitful

                       in the land."

                  Genesis 26.22

(This is not an accident,

a big mistake, wrong turn,

                  or dead end.

God strategically places us

        in the most unlikely neighborhoods,

        unusual situations,

        even difficult relationships,

to bring Him glory

and bear fruit in a barren land.)

And He said to them,

"Why are you afraid,

        O you of little faith?"

Then He rose

and rebuked the winds

                       and the sea,

and there was great calm.

             Matthew 8. 26

("Trust Me in this."

Even in this.

When I walk freely with Him

                without fear,

I see the problem or tempest

             with different eyes,

    not to ignore the need,

but able to respond to it.

God does not promise

mild temperatures and a fair breeze,

     but "I am with you,"

a calmness in the midst

              of the storm.)

Trust in the LORD

with all your heart,

and do not lean

    on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will

         make straight your paths.

                      Proverbs 3. 5-6

(The LORD did not say

    things will go as you want them,

                    when or how,

or that your way will be comfortable,

lucrative and convenient,

               but trust Me

                    in all your ways.

Be all in.)

...shall all the nations of the earth

                 be blessed,

because

    you have obeyed My voice.

                  Genesis 22. 18

(We have no idea how

God is using our response to Him.

Nothing too small.

All is enormously significant

                     in His eyes.

God always works

       in multiple dimensions,

       in incredible layers,

              and in many lives.)

                   

So whatever

you wish that others

         would do to you,

do also to them.

             Matthew 7. 12

(The golden rule

is at the core of loving God

               and loving others well.

It is not that which is selfish

       but that which is self-less.

Have I even considered

           God's way in this?

Or only my own?)

Is anything

   too hard for the LORD?

               Genesis 18. 14

(Nothing lies beyond the realm

                     of His power,

no one beyond His grace,

nothing that He cannot redeem

                     for His glory.

His steadfast love reveals

   that He always has

        a more profound vision.

"Follow Me in this.")

    

You have heard that it is said,

"You shall love your neighbor

and hate your enemy."

But I say to you,

"Love your enemies

and pray for those

         who persecute you.

...For if you love those

       who love you,

what reward do you have?"

                  Matthew 5. 43-44, 46

(What makes a believer any different?

Loving others well

       is the mark of Jesus,

loving even those who disagree with you,

even those who do not love you back,

even those you do not like.

Our intimacy with Christ

impacts our relationship,

our love,

even our attitude

           toward others.

Jesus empowers me

    to see others with a deeper love.)

And I will make of you a great nation,

and I will bless you

and make your name great,

so that

       you will be a blessing.

                  Genesis 12. 2

(God's favor is the means

of loving others well

and pointing others to Him.

A blessing is never selfish

    but the provision to be selfless,

to know Him more

             and make Him known.)

Bear fruit

  in keeping with repentance.

            Matthew 3. 8

(Your life should look very different

because you are forgiven

and free to love others,

      even the really difficult ones.

What does redeemed look like,

      what does redeemed do

   in this impossible situation?

Soli Deo Gloria.

   For the glory of God alone.)

The voice of one

     crying in the wilderness:

Prepare the way of the LORD;

make His paths straight.

            Matthew 3. 3

(Faithfulness to God

always prepares

the way of the LORD

   in the lives of others.

Even in a bleak place,

even among the rebellious,

people are always watching,

not to see if you are perfect

   but to see if God is real.)

He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit
         in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does,
        he prospers.

            Psalm 1. 3

(Plant yourself
         in God’s Word,
abide in Him,
and He will bear fruit
       in its season,
and ripen it
       in His timing,
not dependent
on favorable circumstances
   but on His unfailing love.
Faithfulness to God
impacts everyone around us
and generations yet unborn.)

May God bless you
in a million dimensions
    in this new year.
He is the God
    of new beginnings.