The disciples went

and did

as Jesus directed them.

        Matthew 21. 6

(Even when it didn't

seem to make sense.

Even when they

   didn't understand.

Even when they didn't

realize the

profound significance

in such a small action.

Responding to God

is never

an insignificant action.

Obedience comes from

the Latin word ob-audire,

which means "to listen

with great attentiveness."

And when we listen

like that, we can't help

      but respond.

And life cannot possibly

    remain the same,

even on the

most ordinary of days.)

O LORD,

You do not shout,

but come to us

with a still small voice,

gentle and loving.

Help us to not just

    seek You,

pay attention,

and hear Your direction,

but to respond to You.

Align our hearts with Yours,

that we would love You

through all we do and say.

Help us to know that

there are

no small obediences.

You build Your strength

     in us in layers.

And if we do not

do the running

in the "little" ways

on the "ordinary" days,

we will do nothing

      in the crisis.

 

...for we must take of them

to serve

     the LORD our God,

and we do not know

with what

we must serve the LORD

until we arrive there.

          Exodus 10. 26

(Why am I here,

why am I carrying this,

what is this in my life

or why has God put

this experience

           in my story?

We can never determine

what God will use,

what God is redeeming,

what God is ripening

to bring others to Himself

and deepening

      our intimacy with Him.

Someday we will all

exclaim:  "So that's why

          that happened."

God weaves it seamlessly

  with great purpose

  and design in our lives.

Imagine that!)

O LORD,

Grant us the patience

to stand in the gaps

and stay at our posts

that You will fulfill

how we may serve You.

We will not know

until we get there,

what we will need

   and what You will use,

not what You repurpose,

but what You redeem.

And we will all

     be greatly astonished.

Help us to be ready,

   shoes tied,

   backpack filled,

to serve You

right where we are. 

Your leading is

sometimes "Arise and go."

But more often You say,

"Stay at your post

    and fulfill."

So much is still

    left to be done

that we have overlooked

and You have already

    given us the tools.

...so that

you may know

that there is no one

like the LORD our God.

        Exodus 8. 10

(Not all about Pharoah,

but for what

Moses was about

     to experience

     and go through,

he himself needed to

absolutely know

and trust the LORD.

"So that"

always reveals

divine purpose,

even in what we

   cannot yet see.

What does it take

for us to trust God?)

O LORD,

We cannot know,

we cannot control

what is coming,

but we can know You

and trust You

as You love us through it.

Help us to follow You

in the every days

that we would

already know how

   to follow You

in the crisis.

Help us to know

that You are the LORD.

Help our lives reflect

a witness to others

the reality of You.

 

 

But the LORD

said to Moses,

"Now you shall see

what I will do..."

        Exodus 6. 1

(God's work

is already in progress.

"Trust Me in this."

We have only

     to be faithful

in what He has

placed before us,

even if we cannot

               yet see.

It may be that

things have not yet ripened,

but also that our own hearts

     are not ready.

God works in

   unexpected ways

and multiple outcomes.

We cannot see

the infinite connections.

Someday on the Other Side,

we will exclaim,

"So that is why!"

Just because we

       don't understand

does not mean

there is not divine purpose

woven seamlessly in it.)

O LORD,

Please help us

to not get ahead of You,

but to follow You

and be faithful in what

and where and whom

You have placed us.

Help us to fulfill Your plans

right where we are,

astonished not by what we see,

but knowing You are working

  beyond what we can see.

Help us to trust You

not just in circumstances,

not just when we

      think we understand,

but because You are God.

      

 

The LORD said to him,

"What is that

         in your hand?"

He said, "A staff."

        Exodus 4. 2

(How can I serve You

today, O LORD?

What has God given me,

how has He equipped me

and put right in my hands

         to serve Him?

Sometimes the extraordinary,

but most often

what we only see as ordinary.

Nothing is insignificant

        in God's sight.

God can use everything

and anything,

especially a willing heart.)

O LORD,

Help us to know

that You provide

the tools

and strength

and opportunity

to serve You.

Help us to know

that we need

a willing heart

and a mind set on You.

Please empower us

not to miss out

on what You are doing

through us,

even that which we

        cannot yet see.

May we stand firmly

       in the gaps

and at our stations

and be faithful to You

       in all we do.

 

In You

our fathers trusted;

they trusted,

and You

    delivered them.

To You

they cried

and were rescued;

in You

they trusted

and were not

      put to shame.

          Psalm 22. 4-5

(Do our children

and grandchildren,

those who we live

 or work alongside,

those on our path,

know the stories

  of God's faithfulness

  in our lives?

His faithfulness,

His grace and kindness,

His provision

      and deliverance.

His stories woven in our lives

of struggle and victory

are never meant

    for us alone.

But also to encourage

others to know

  that God is real.

Our relationship with God

can reveal to others

that there is not just

   another way through,

but there is far more

             to this life.

Because we trust God,

we approach

the impossible,

the difficult,

the overwhelming,

with a different heart

      and vision.

God is with us.

Watch what God

    does with this.)

O LORD,

Help us to seize

the ordinary moments

to acknowledge

Your faithfulness

and Your Presence

   with us

in tangible ways

and in the words we speak.

Even now,

even here,

even in this,

may we trust You more

and let others know

in You is our strength.

            

 

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.

So do not fear.

   Genesis 50. 20-21

(God always has

deeper purposes

woven into this,

beyond what we

can see or imagine.

God's redeeming

is already on the move,

even when we

   don't understand

at the time

or never see

what He is bringing about.

God never works

in singular outcomes.

We have only to

forgive continually,

be faithful

 in what is before us,

and let God use it

for tremendous good.)

O LORD,

Help us to keep our eyes

        on You.

Help us to see You only,

not pursuing

    different perspective

    on circumstances,

but seeking

    a change of heart.

We cannot know

what You are doing

with this difficulty,

but we can know

   You are good,

   You are here,

and redeeming this.

Grant us, O LORD,

Your provision

   to keep us going,

and Your vision

   to follow You.

 

...the God who has been

my shepherd

all my life long

to this day...

        Genesis 48. 15

(God is not about

to abandon us now.

"The LORD is my shepherd."

He guides.

He provides.

He cares for.

He protects even from

what we do not see.

He loves us by name,

   more than we can know.

Even in this strange time

or desolate place,

His Presence surrounds us.

God has inscribed

in each one of our lives

a continuous chronicle

of His love and

      faithfulness.)

O LORD,

You bless in ways

we can see

and even in the deeps

that crouch beneath,

far beyond

what we can imagine.

Help us to follow You

in the favorable

and in the desolate,

knowing that

      You are with us.

No matter what. 

We can trust You.

And fear just

      gets in the way.

Align our hearts

          with Yours.

Help us to see

   and respond differently

because we know You.

 

...were fruitful

and multiplied greatly.

         Genesis 47. 27

(How we view God

is how we view

    circumstances,

both difficult

and favorable.

We choose to approach

    "what if....?"

fearfully or fruitfully.

God is not a variable,

but He on whom we

   can stake our lives.

Don't calculate

     without Him.

God multiplies.

We have only

    to be faithful,

no matter the equation,

whether we understand

        or not.)

O LORD,

We come to You this day

with open hands

and willing hearts

and sharp awareness

    of Your Presence.

Help us to not be

   distracted by fear,

but be fruitful

even in the difficult,

even where

   others see a barren field

   or nothing at all.

You redeem, O LORD.

You multiply

     beyond our vision.

 

But immediately

Jesus spoke to them

saying,

"Take heart;

it is I.

Do not be afraid."

      Matthew 14. 27

(If we knew

that God was in

this difficulty,

hardship,

and mystery,

would we be afraid?

How differently

we can approach

what is before us

because we know Him.

God does not just

    bring us through,

but to a deeper

   intimacy with Him,

His strength for us

and witness to others.

His Presence

   changes everything.)

O LORD,

You equip us with

   Your strength.

You assure us by

   Your Presence.

Fear only trips us up.

Worry blocks out

any available light.

Trusting You

may or may not change

the circumstances,

but opens up our hearts

    to knowing You more,

what we see,

how we respond,

what we do,

and how we love others

           through it.

You are right here,

walking with us.

You redeem.

You multiply.

You love us more

  than we can know.

 

And He did not do

many mighty works

there,

because of their

unbelief.

       Matthew 13. 58

(We are the ones

who miss out on

        the wonders,

when we do not

   come before Him.

Our skepticism does not

limit God,

but impoverishes us

from grasping

all the things of God

we do not see

or realize

or acknowledge.

Are we following Him

into this situation,

not just to see

what He will do,

not just to see the show,

but to know Him?

It is not that there

are no mighty works

         even here,

         all around us,

or what could be done,

but it is our myopic vision,

our preconceived ideas,

our hardness of heart,

our collection of

   colorful distractions,

that blind us to

the surprises,

beautiful,

unexpected

and what is inexplicable,

    if not for God.)

O LORD,

May we worship You today

no matter the circumstances,

no matter how dark,

or even more, how grey.

Help us to keep

    our eyes on You

that we would realize

                You,

even in what

we have never seen before.

Help us to run with You

into this situation

our eyes sensitive,

our hearts wide open,

not for Your mighty works,

    for what You do,

but because

     Almighty is who You are.

  

 

It is the smallest

   of all seeds,

but when it has grown,

it is larger than

all the garden plants

and becomes a tree,

so that

the birds of the air come

and make nests

       in its branches.

              Matthew 13. 32

(This parable is about

the mustard seed,

a tiny little almost

     unnoticeable seed

with great potential.

What is my mustard seed

  in what is before me today,

that tiny little seed

that doesn't seem to matter

but grows to

       change the landscape.

A kindness, a different attitude,

words and deeds

and caring for others.

The planting of big trees

  is not always obvious.

But there is nothing but nothing

that God does not use

     for His kingdom

   and for His glory.

What am I planting today?

A forest from tiny seeds.)

O LORD,

Help us to know that

all we do is significant

      before You.

Help us to plant Your grace

and love and mercy

in the lives of those

         all around us.

And to be aware

     of the opportunities

to sow and even to

       prepare the soil.

Encourage us to know

that change takes

        time to ripen

and that You, O God,

 provide the growth.

Help us to be faithful

   in planting today,

however,

whatever,

wherever

and even in the unexpected.

 

My steps have

held fast to Your paths.

My feet have

     not slipped.

        Psalm 17. 5

(If we walk with Jesus

in the ordinary,

we know how to

run with Him

in the extraordinary.

When we seek Him

   and His ways

   in the everydays,

we learn how

to navigate the

    treacherous parts.

When we

hold fast to Him

when it doesn't

   seem to matter

and the stakes

   don't appear high,

we know how

to run with Him

when they are.)

O LORD,

Help us not just

to be aware

of Your Presence

          with us,

but to hold tight

and run fast with You.

You are training us

not just to come to You,

but to abide in You.

We have no idea

how significant is

our time with You.

There are long roads

and rocky paths ahead

of each of us,

not to be defeated by it,

but strengthened by You,

knowing

we can trust You

             in it

and walk with You

     through,

no matter what.

 

...for the tree

is known by its fruit.

       Matthew 12. 33

(The fruit our lives bear

reveals who we are

and Whose we are

and what others witness

through our relationship

          with Christ.

God bears the fruit,

the ripening of which

we may never live

long enough to see.

We have only

  to be faithful to Him.)

O LORD,

Help us to not view

accomplishments

and successes

and recognition

as visible fruit.

But fruit only in what

points others to You,

nourishes

and sustains

and brings You glory:

love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness, self-control

(Galatians 5.22)

Bear Your fruit in us,

    O Mighty LORD,

even in this situation

                   today.

 

Do not be afraid

  of sudden terror

or of 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

(We are continually

in training

and learning to trust

and walk with God,

even in the ordinary

to be prepared

for the extraordinary.

We live in

     a broken world.

We need not

     be afraid,

nor to be surprised

by the storms

when they come.

God is with us now.

God is with us

           even then,

even in hardship,

even in mystery

when we don't understand.

He listens, He answers

in our day of distress

and has been with us

all along,

wherever we have gone.)

O LORD,

Help us to listen,

follow,

walk with You,

trust in You

in the every days,

that we know how

to listen, follow,

walk and trust

amidst the hard stuff.

Align our hearts

     with Yours.

Help us learn to

  live and respond

  not in

our own confidence,

but in Yours.

And when the storm

  comes,

we are ready and able,

not to take cover,

but to help others

   through to You.

 

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 says,

    "Come to Me,"

leave your baggage

and accomplishments

and lack of control,

and failures,

and heavy hearts.

"Let Me embrace you,

let Me help you,

     walk with Me."

God never intended

for us to go it alone.

God never promised

life would be easy

   in this broken world,

but "Fear not. 

I am with you.

Come to Me."

Even with this.

What is Your way

in this, O LORD?

     With Me.)

O LORD,

We tend to blame

circumstances

         or others,

for our troubles,

when all along it is

our hearts

that are burdened

and out of alignment.

Help us to know

we are not alone,

but You love us

more than we can

       imagine.

We are embraced

          by You.

Align our hearts

            with Yours.

Circumstances

    need not change,

but our hearts.

 

But even the

hairs of your head

are all numbered.

Fear not,

therefore,

you are of more value

than many sparrows.

    Matthew 10. 30-31

(God is more intimate

in His love for us

than we can imagine.

God is more personal

than we can realize.

He knows our hearts,

our tears and joy,

our afflictions,

and His hand on us.

God loves us

more than we can

ever think possible.

Even in dire times

and difficult situations,

God is already

    bringing us through.

"Do not be afraid.

   I am with you."

He is holding us fast.)

O LORD,

Help us to cast aside

worry and stress

and just follow You

through this miry bog,

or treacherous terrain,

or deep mystery that is

beyond our grasp.

Fear just blocks out

       the light.

Anxiety over what

is not in our control

               anyway

gives us baggage

we are not meant

         to carry

and drains us

of all available energy.

But trusting You

leads us on

a different way through.

Help us

to be found in You

and follow You.

 

...and you will be dragged

before governors and kings

for My sake,

     to bear witness

before them

and the Gentiles.

           Matthew 10. 18

(Whatever is before us

in this day

and wherever we are,

in the most

     unexpected places

--or the most familiar--

why are we here?

To bear witness

among believers

and non-believers alike.

Not just in the big stuff

but in the most ordinary,

not accomplishments

or successes

   but responding

and not reacting.

Even a solitary kind word

changes the conversation.

People are always

watching us

not to see if we are perfect,

but to see that God indeed

   has changed our hearts.

God works through

   His Spirit in us

in profound

       and mighty ways

of which we are

            not aware.)

O LORD,

You have placed us

in the midst of

this broken world

to bring Your name here.

Help us to be aware

   and faithful to You,

even in the hard stuff,

even especially

in the most unexpected,

to bear witness to You.

Use us, O LORD,

to point others to You.

Wherever we are today,

make us aware

of bearing witness

           before others,

in every deed,

word,

and attitude.

 

"Behold,

I am with you

and will keep you

wherever you go..."

Then Jacob awoke

from his sleep and said,

"Surely the LORD

is in this place,

and I did not know it."

          Genesis 28. 15-16

(And that changes

           everything.

Even here.

Even in this.

Nothing random.

The LORD is here.

We are exactly where

    He has led us

into His glory and purposes.

Have I considered

     trusting Him in this?

Listening

       and responding?

If we knew that

       God was in this,

would we be afraid?

How would we approach

     this differently?)

O LORD,

Trusting in You

is the antidote

   for all anxiety.

Trusting in You

does not just change

our perspective,

but our direction

and what we think,

say,

do,

and pray.

Assure us of Your Presence.

Align our hearts with Yours,

              O Almighty One.

 

They said,

"We can see plainly

that the LORD

has been with you."

           Genesis 26. 28

(This verse reminds me

of another,

"And they recognized

that they had been

with Jesus."

         Acts 4. 13

There is something

different about

    a Christ follower,

and that would be

not an adhesive nametag,

but Jesus abiding

      in one's heart.

"Excuse me,

but your relationship

with Jesus is showing."

And that would be

evident in how we respond

and how we love.

Others are continually

watching to see

if God is real.)

O LORD,

Please come in

and take residence in us.

Direct our thoughts,

appoint Your plans,

mark Your paths,

and align our hearts

           with Yours.

Help us to know

that it is Your love

that changes us

and alters

the course of our lives.

May we be distinguished

and recognized

        as Yours.

 

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

    a great calm.

And the men marveled,

saying,

"What sort of man is this,

that even winds and sea

      obey Him?"

          Matthew 8. 26-27

(What sort of God

   do we worship?

The Almighty

Who is greater

than our circumstances.

God calls us

not to react,

but to respond to Him.

What do we miss

because of our fear?

One of the first

consequences of the Fall

     was fear.

God didn't say

life would be easy

in the storm

or in this broken world,

but "Do not be afraid.

        I am with you.")

O LORD,

Help us to trust You

when we are

   so overwhelmed,

when we realize

how much we need You.

And help us to realize

how we can respond,

what we can do,

what more that we see,

  when we walk with You

and that You

       are in the boat.

Trusting You

changes what we see.

Trusting You

alters how to respond.

Be multiplied

and magnified in this day,

       O Almighty God.

 

The LORD,

before Whom

    I have walked,

will send His angel

with you,

and prosper your way.

         Genesis 24. 40

(We each have a history

and a chronicle

of God's faithfulness.

He is not about

  to abandon us now

  at the side

  of our despair.

God is with us,

guiding and providing,

even in what

   we don't understand,

even in what

   we don't see yet.

It is not a matter

  of God showing up,

but our realizing

  He is already here.

We are the ones

late to the reality,

        not Him.

Before Whom

      I have walked,

past, present

and what is yet to come.)

O LORD,

Help us in our weakness

to dwell on Your faithfulness

and Your Presence.

Help us to trust You,

respond to You,

follow You

and acknowledge You.

You do not just

walk with us

and bring the snacks,

but guide us

on a different way

through what is

    still before us.

 

Abraham planted

    a tamarisk tree

    in Beersheba

and called there

on the name of the LORD,

     the everlasting God.

            Genesis 21. 33

(Do we mark God's provision

in our chronicle

of His faithfulness?

Not to remind God,

but that we would remember

His faithfulness

    and His Presence

in the next time of trouble.

God never promised

it would be easy

       in this broken world,

but "Be not afraid.

        I am with you."

The LORD will provide,

sometimes in

       unexpected ways,

always in His glory.

Never forget

His strong hold on you.)

O LORD,

May we plant

a forest of trees

to manifest

Your faithfulness

and goodness

and grace to us.

We have no clue

how infinite

Your faithfulness,

far beyond favorable

   circumstances or

   "answers" to our liking,

but Your Presence

like a million galaxies

exploding into view.

Help us to walk in Your Name

and to mark Your faithfulness

in all we do and say.

 

Therefore I tell you,

do not be anxious

about your life...

But seek first

the kingdom of God

and His righteousness,

and all these things

will be added to you.

         Matthew 6. 25, 33

(Anxiety is the kingpin

        of fear.

Anxiety distracts,

deflates,

and drains every ounce

of needed courage

       and energy.

Seeking God first

always provides more

       than we need

and sends us in

   a different direction.

Anxiety means

         missing out.

Anxiety says,

   "What if....?"

God says,

    "Trust Me."

Trusting God is

    never complacent,

but the strongest

action we can do.

Trusting God

pushes back the darkness.

Anxiety just

    stumbles through it.)

O LORD,

In the midst of this

growing pandemic

and social unrest

and suffering,

anxiety has seeped

   through the cracks,

walked defiantly

     through the door,

and taken up residence.

Grant us the strength

     to evict that

prevailing fear

and abide instead

           in You.

Help us to know You more

and know that seeking You

should be our first response,

   not our last resort.

May trusting You

be a beacon to our paths

and a strong distinguishing

      light for others

   out of the darkness.

Trusting You

            strengthens,

provides and protects

    with Your Presence.

Help us to not even think

about attempting this

     without You. 

 

And the LORD

appeared to him

by the oaks of Mamre,

as he sat at the door

of his tent

in the heat of the day.

He lifted up his eyes

and looked,

and behold.....

            Genesis 18. 1-2

(God does not just

suddenly appear

and disappear,

but He is with us,

even when we

    are least aware,

even on the most

    ordinary of days,

even right

    where we are.

Am I abiding with Him?

Am I responding?

Nothing is beyond

            His grasp,

nothing beyond

           His timing.

He is

       God Almighty.)

O LORD,

In peaceful times

and in tumult,

You are with us,

You are our shield,

Your Presence with us,

Your name is written

             over us.

You say, "Stay with Me,"

   and "Trust me in this."

Help us to realize

that anxiety

     is stepping away,

saying, "I can do this

              on my own."

Your shield, O LORD,

protects and provides

and strengthens

even in what

we consider ordinary.

There are

no insignificant days

or ways

in Your economy.

You are with us.

 

But I say to you...

   Matthew 5. 18, 22, 28

        32, 34, 39, 44

(Whenever any phrase

or word is repeated

in Scripture,

take notice and

underline it in your heart.

God's way is not about

following rules

but following Him.

Not about conforming,

but transforming.

Grace always lives deeper

   into something more,

the other coat,

the extra mile,

not because "I have to,"

but "I get to, I want to."

Not even what we do,

but what He does in us.)

O LORD,

Your hand is before us

      and over us,

our strength and shield.

Help us to be faithful

in whatever

You place before us,

in the momentary details

and the long haul.

Help us to

respond to circumstances,

not be overwhelmed,

because You are with us.

Not our will

         but Yours be done.

Help us to know

Your high road

   is always the best choice.

     

 

And there he built

an altar to the LORD

and called upon

the name of the LORD.

                   Genesis 12. 8

(Not just praying a minute

or reading His Word a bit,

but building an altar

at the beginning of the day.

Not laying out our agenda

and plans and outcomes

                 for Him,

but letting God

lay out His day for us.

It never occurred to me

to build a daily altar

      before the LORD,

to write His Name

    all over this day.

A burden or anxiety

is simply a concern

that has not been

          brought to Him

    and left there.

A worry is just something

we think God doesn’t

know about or can handle.

At the altar,

we relinquish the control

     we never had at all,

we forgive and are forgiven,

we see God for Who He is

       throughout the day.

God’s day for us

is filled with divine

       appointments,

some of which we

    will never realize,

and with His Presence

deeper than we can know.)

 

O LORD,

We come before You,

we pray to You,

not to idols

of our own desires

or our own control

or ourselves.

But to You, O LORD,

we build altars

that we would know You

and You would be known.

You are Who we worship,

even today,

even in all we do,

even in this situation.

May we leave altars

all across

the landscape of our lives.

 

 

And you,

be fruitful and multiply,

increase greatly

on the earth

and multiply in it.

         Genesis 9. 7

(And you.

That means

each one of us.

New year,

new adventures,

new vision,

new fields

        to be sown,

new forests

        to plant,

    tree by tree,

    seed by seed.

God has granted

   each one of us

a little corner

       of this world

to nurture,

not just to add to,

     but multiply

in every dimension

of His kingdom.)

In His name.

For His glory.

O LORD,

Go before us

and guide us

into this new year.

May we not seek

a set of marching orders,

detailed maps,

step by step directions,

or preconceived outcomes

      but seek You in it.

Guide our thoughts

and align our hearts

as we walk with You.

 

 

Bear fruit

in keeping

  with repentance.

      Matthew 3. 8

(What fruit God bears

in us and through us

     reflects our hearts.

What are we seeking

          in this situation?

The hardest words are not

saying "Sorry, my mistake,"

but admitting

    "I was wrong.

    Please forgive me."

Forgiveness takes care

         of our past regrets.

Repentance is a choice

to turn and take a

    different path forward.

God changes

the course of our lives.)

O LORD,

We mess up.

We make mistakes.

We let selfishness

       sour our hearts.

We come before You

to align our hearts

              with Yours.

Help us to see

all who are before us,

all that is around us,

    with Your heart.

Bear Your fruit in us

  even in the unexpected,

even in what we

   will never realize.

Every day

not just scattering seeds

but planting trees

through our words,

deeds,

attitudes,

and Your love in us.

Grace always bears

    the sweetest fruit.

--

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

Blessed

are all who take

refuge in Him.

      Psalm 2. 12

(A refuge is not

a place we deserve

or earn

or build ourselves,

but of His grace

and provision

and protection,

realizing His shield

           over us.

It is not a place of

   avoiding or hiding,

but of His strength,

a place from which

       to go forth

renewed and restored,

abiding in Him.

It is a place where we

lie down our pride

and clothe ourselves

with His love and grace.

A refuge is a shelter

where to flee,

admit our need

and put our trust in God,

a place of hope in God

   in what appears

   impossible.)

O LORD,

We come before You

humble and broken,

undeserving,

and in need of Your grace.

Be our refuge, O LORD.

We need You.

Help us to drag our sin

and pride

and anxieties to the altar.

And leave them there,

covered by Your

     forgiveness.

Strengthen us

  by Your power in us.

And to be faithful to You

  in whatever we do

  and say today,

full of grace

     and kindness,

even in our attitudes.

 

In the beginning,

God created

the heavens

and the earth.

       Genesis 1. 1

(This is the reality

on which

everything about us

is found

and founded upon,

that on which we can

     stake our lives,

how we view God,

how we see others,

how we see ourselves.

Nothing but nothing

is random,

but instead rising out

of God's sacred order,

the beginning

       of everything.)

O LORD,

As we enter this new year,

we come before You

and realize that

spectacular things

are already in place

and about to

         be revealed,

not even one day

to be regarded

    as ordinary,

but an intricate part

of Your design

    in our lives.

You created us.

You are with us.

You love us.

May we not be

impervious to difficulty

or complacent about

            flourishing

in this coming year,

  even in this day,

but be responsive to You

and write Your name

     over all we are

     and do.