And when you reap

the harvest of your land,

you shall not

    reap your field

right up to the edge,

nor shall you gather

the gleanings

         of your harvest.

You shall leave them

for the poor

and for the sojourner.

I am the LORD your God.

           Leviticus 23. 22

(God provides for the poor,

the needy and sojourner

     of every type of need.

And He uses us

   in those endeavors

to fill in the gaps.

May we live with margins

in time, treasure

   and relationship.

Love transcends

        worthiness.

Kindness, generosity

and grace are not limited

   to the material.

But sometimes those

provide the open door

to something deeper.)

O LORD,

Open our eyes

         and hearts

to the gaping needs

   all around us,

not segmented by

 what is earned

or deserved

but by our love for You

and manifested in

     our love for others.

Grace and kindness

always bear fruit,

emerging even out of

 the most barren ground.

Help us to realize

our responsibility to care

for those You have

entrusted to us,

the sojourner on our paths,

the neighbor,

or family members

strategically placed

            in our lives.

 

...for I am the LORD

who sanctifies them.

      Leviticus 22. 16

(Sanctification means

to be set apart from all else

to be used by God

     for His purposes.

This is the calling

     in present tense

of all believers to realize

God's grace sets us apart.

The mark of His grace

looks different, sounds

acts, and pours over all things

because we have been

released from

   the dominion of sin.

We are identified as His.

"It is not I who live,

but Christ who lives in me."

           Galatians 2. 20)

O LORD,

Help us to remember

in all things today

that we are Yours.

Help us to write Your name

    at the top of our paper.

Let Your grace

pour over all of life

that we would realize

  Your holiness

   encompasses all

things for Your glory.

Nothing is too small,

no one is insignificant,

all is sacred in Your sight.

You redeem and restore

what we only see

        as impossible.

Help us to seek

  Your way through this

and watch our lives

(and those of others)

  change before our eyes.

 

I am the LORD

   your God.

      Leviticus 19

(This phase,

this reason,

this overlying purpose,

appears 16 times

in this chapter alone.

Why should we

    do this

    or not do that?

This is why:

Because God is God.

The LORD is

        our God.

And that makes

our daily choices,

our actions

        and responses,

the course of our lives

       radically different

because we love Him.)

O LORD,

You are our God.

And we are Your people.

Help us not just

         to act that way,

but to love others

  as we have been

  loved by You.

May Your Spirit

and our love for You

flow through us

like a mighty river

to all those on our paths,

our families, neighbors,

strangers,

and even those who

   don't like us very much.

Help us to love them back.

Even now.

Even in this.

 

You shall not walk

   in their statutes.

You shall

follow My rules and

    keep My statutes

and walk in them.

I am the LORD your God.

...if a person does them,

he shall live by them.

I am the LORD.

     Leviticus 18. 3-5

(Following God and

walking with Him

is going to be and look

       very different.

Oh, what we miss

  by not choosing His way

  and walking with Him.

God changes our journey

and the course

           of our lives.

There is another way

through the chaos

   and difficulties

   and hard stuff.

One step with Him,

and God opens up

    the next step before us.

We need not walk alone.)

O LORD,

We choose to walk

       with You today

on the highlands

    or in the miry bog.

Help us to see

    Your way differently

with willing hearts

and eyes wide open

to the needs all around.

Transform what we see

   as irritations

   and interruptions,

into ministry to others

and opportunities

to love and honor You.

Kindness and compassion

    always bear fruit,

    baskets left over,

       more than enough.

When we walk with You,

You always make

   the journey incredible.

There are no ordinary days

and nothing insignificant.

All for Your glory.

 

But may all

   who seek You

rejoice

and be glad in You;

may those

who love Your salvation

say continually,

"Great is the LORD!"

           Psalm 40. 16

(Seek,

rejoice,

be glad,

say continually

"Great is the LORD!".

How different

would we live,

if we said out loud

and responded,

      like that?

And meant it.

Those words,

that kind of heart,

would totally change

  our perspective of

  whatever we face,

pointing ourselves

    and others to Him.

Do others see our

unexplainable

    and underlying joy?

Do we acknowledge

the LORD even in this?)

O LORD,

Help us to not just

seek and see You

     and Your hand,

but to acknowledge You

before others,

in our perspectives,

in how we approach

         the hard stuff,

even in our attitudes,

which tell a lot about us.

Write Your name

      at the top of this day.

It is Yours.

We are Yours.

Help our joy in You

 show in how we live

and how we love.

We are forever

          in Your care.

 

But immediately

He spoke to them

and said, "Take care;

     It is I.

Do not be afraid!"

         Mark 6. 50

(Recognize that Jesus

    walks with us,

right through this mess,

this rocky trail,

this miry bog,

these shadowlands.

No reason to be afraid.

Do not let fear distract

  but let Jesus lead

  through it.

With Jesus,

we see it differently.)

O LORD,

Help us to see You

and walk with You

into situations

we could never have

done without You.

Oh, the wonders

we would have missed

       along the way.

Help us to trust You

even when we don't

            understand

or can't yet see what

  is around the bend.

You are leading us

into Your story

to bring others to You.

 

And He could do

no mighty work there,

except that He laid

His hands on a

few sick people

     and healed them.

And He marveled

because of

      their unbelief.

           Mark 6. 5-6

(What we miss

because we

do not seek Him,

nor believe

  God is God.

Our hearts are

   not open to what is

   before our very eyes.

How many miracles

   do we just explain away?

Or we don't even bother

   to pray about?

Are we missing

    the very hand of God?

In seeking God,

we see even more

     all around us.

It is not a matter of

thinking God can

   do something about this.

But believing in Him

  despite circumstances

and not just for an answer.

God is working

     and always works

in a bizillion different outcomes.

Am I seeking His glory

           even in this day?)

O LORD,

O what we miss

because we are

   not looking

or seeking You.

Soften our hearts

 to Your mighty work

 in our lives

and in the lives of those

all around us.

May we acknowledge You

  in all we do and say

  and pray.

And point others to You.

You are in this.

And we weren't looking.

 

But for You,

    O LORD,

do I wait;

it is You, O LORD,

            my God.

who will answer.

            Psalm 38. 15

(God's timing

    is always perfect.

He is never late.

Don't get ahead of God.

"The only thing harder

than waiting on God

is not waiting on Him."

      (Crawford Loritts)

Some things have not

     yet ripened.

Some things may not

     be ready,

and that might be

              my heart.

When we seek the LORD

   and not just an answer,

we don't miss out

        on what He provides

        and how He provides..

Watch out for Him

especially in unlikely times

and unexpected places.)

O LORD,

We walk with You,

we abide in You,

we wait for You,

never a random moment,

never a missed

             appointment.

Sometimes, O LORD,

we need surprises to

show us what else

     might be possible

and to reveal how little

    we know and trust You.

 

The memory of the righteous

        is a blessing...

            Proverbs 10. 7

(Because they take

        refuge in Him.

The LORD is

        their strength.

And so,

wherever they are,

whomever God

     places on their path

are blessed by them.

They bring with them,

   and leave behind

kindness, love, grace

   and faithfulness.

Do we realize the

lingering impact

      of our lives?

Even in this.)

O LORD,

Help us to know

that nothing we do,

say, sow, or plant

   is insignificant.

There is nothing

that You cannot redeem

and grow

and bring blessing.

Anoint this day

        for Your glory.

Bring the lasting aroma

    of Your grace to it.

 

And other seeds

fell into good soil

and produced grain,

growing up

and increasing

and yielding

thirtyfold

and sixtyfold

and a hundredfold.

           Mark 4. 8

(The seed is God's Word.

Read the Word,

hear the Word,

write it in our hearts

  and in our actions,

embrace it,

cultivate it,

and God will bear fruit

      guaranteed,

in our lives and

  everyone around us,

even in barren

overlooked places

   and unlikely people

for His Kingdom.

Years ago, I started a

neighborhood Bible study.

A woman that I thought

would be least interested

    was the most faithful

    in coming.

She was hungry for Him.

Never underestimate

the power of God's Word.

He changes us

           through it.)

 O LORD,

Soften our hearts

         to Your Word,

in Your Word,

through Your Word.

And to realize that

the fruit You bear

is not limited

        in any way

to our lifetimes.

Help us to prepare

the soil in others' hearts

   by loving them

   right to You.

We pray for

  Your Word to

  change the landscape.

Help us to plant,

cultivate and realize

ripening is often

              unseen.

 

...as a gift

      to the LORD.

      Leviticus 7. 14

(A true gift is one

that comes from

           the heart.

Am I saying to God,

"Just tell me what

            You want,

tell me what to do"?

Or thinking about

what would be pleasing

    to Him?

Listening ears,

attentive eyes,

a willing heart,

and shoes tied on

  ready to serve,

practicing grace

   in unexpected places,

looking for ways to

     love others well,

asking forgiveness

  and lavishing it

  generously on others.

A gift to the LORD

is not checking off

   a list of "have to's,"

but seeking out

   the "get to's.")

O LORD,

May we seek this day

gifts for You,

offerings to You,

that would please You

  in whatever we do,

gifts without ribbons

and bows

but just because

      we love You.

May we seek this day

not Your blessings

but how we can

          bless You.

 

...and the priest

shall make atonement

            for him

for the mistake that

he made unintentionally,

and he shall be

                forgiven.

          Leviticus 5. 18

(We are imperfect.

We sin.

God knows that.

We cannot save ourselves.

God knows that too.

That is why He gave us

the book of Leviticus.

It is not all about sin.

It is all about

   God's provision

and our need for Him.

God invented forgiveness

   that we may know Him.

Sin always

      costs something,

that which is done

            or left undone,

intentional or

            a mistake.

And His grace

is given to us

at the cost of Jesus

  to cover it all.)

O LORD,

We are reminded this day

of our need for You.

Thank you for Your grace

and forgiveness

and redeeming it all.

It is not our sin

   that defines us

but Your forgiveness

  that makes

  all things new.

 

Then he shall kill the bull

before the LORD,

and Aaron's sons

             the priests

shall bring the blood

and throw the blood

against the

       sides of the altar

that is at the entrance

of the tent of meeting.

           Leviticus 1. 5

(Not the most pleasant

passage in His Word,

but essential.

Sacrifice is horribly messy,

because sin

   is even more nasty.

The book of Leviticus

is not just about sin,

but God's revealing

the way to make life

           right again

in relationship with Him.

Leviticus shows

    our need for a Savior.

It is a book of hope,

forgiveness, atonement,

grace and provision

for us to repent

and for Him to redeem.

"If we confess our sins,

He is faithful and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness."

           1 John 1.9)

O LORD,

We are unworthy

         of Your grace.

We have messed up.

We are headed

in the wrong direction.

We come to You with

the hardest words:

       "I was wrong."

Thank You for

      Your forgiveness

      already here.

Break the chains,

         O LORD,

   that enslave us.

May we not just

   accept Your grace,

but respond to it

  by loving You back.

 

...and wrote on it

     an inscription,

like the engraving

     of a signet,

"Holy to the LORD."

        Exodus 39. 30

(Not just what we do,

but how we do it,

and whose name

   we write on it.

How differently

would we approach

our work,

our responsibilities,

our appointments

  even unexpected,

if it had His name

   written on it?

May we do all things

with excellence

as unto the LORD,

nothing too small

   that He cannot

   bring His glory

              to it.

Even in what we

only consider

   an interruption,

God works through us

in how we respond

in word, deed

        and attitude.)

O LORD,

We do not come to You

with our agenda

         this morning,

not laying our plans

  before You,

but come to You

that You would

lay before us

    Your day for us.

Your day

has no interruptions,

nothing You

        cannot redeem

in a million different

                    ways.

May we be aware

of Your hand upon us.

May we be sensitive

to others watching us

who desperately seek

if You make a difference

    in our lives,

not in performance

           but in grace.

So the people were

restrained from bringing,

for the material they had

was sufficient to

do all the work,

          and more.

          Exodus 36. 6-7

(Generosity is not

a way of giving,

       but of living.

We miss out

if we think it is

all about stuff--

 a matter of

 how much stuff

 we have or don't have

 or what we do with it--

but our heart condition.

How we love,

what we love,

Whom we love.

It is the quality

   of being kind,

even in unexpected

               places.

Those with

           generous hearts

see need

on so many levels

and respond in

          some way--

to be kind and loving,

to just walk alongside,

and even to take notice.

And to know that

we can't do everything,

but we can do something.

No kindness is insignificant

    in God's kingdom.)

O LORD,

We alone can't solve

the world's problems,

nor fill the gaping holes

           all around us,

but we can

bring Your name into it

and respond with love

to those on our path.

We are not in control

of others

but we can love them.

Help us to know how

    to help in a way

    that does not hurt.

Soften our hearts

to Your work

and to love those

whom You

have placed on our paths

and on our hearts.

Generosity moves

not out of obligation,

but out of love

for You and others.

Generosity may

or may not change

        the circumstances,

but through it,

You always change

             our hearts.

Let Your love show

    through us today.

 

 

And he said,

"If now I have found

favor in Your sight,

            O LORD,

please let the LORD

go in the midst of us..."

           Exodus 34. 9

(The LORD's Presence

makes the significant

difference in

   whatever we face.

"Trust Me in this."

Inviting the LORD

     into our situation

completely changes

our journey,

our vision,

our hearts,

and a million different

  outcomes emerging

  in unexpected places.

God is already redeeming

every instance,

every detail,

even what we see

   as a pothole

   or dead end

   or a barren landscape.

We have just

         to be faithful,

         trust Him,

and welcome Him

   in the midst of us.)

O LORD,

We stand in awe of You

as You encompass us,

invade our hearts,

infiltrate our circumstances

with Your holy Name,

Your redeeming purposes,

    and for Your glory.

We don't know what to do,

  but our eyes are on You.

And You have

    Your eye on us.

There is a life-giving way

through these brambles,

on this unmarked trail,

even this steep uphill,

and You lead us through.

Help us, O LORD,

to walk with You.

You are our help

            and shield,

and we are not alone.

You go in our midst.

 

Is it not in

Your going with us,

so that we are distinct,

I and Your people,

from every other people

on the face of the earth?

            Exodus 33. 16

(Not how perfect we are

  nor deserving favor,

not our own greatness

  but His grace,

not our own

         accomplishments

or favorable circumstances,

but our relationship

        with the LORD.

What is evident

          in our lives?

His Presence in us

      and through us,

His transformation

  in our hearts

that distinguishes us,

how we respond

            and not react

to circumstances

       all around us,

how we reflect His love,

  grace and strength

which is far beyond

   anything we can do.

What does that look

   like today

   in my life

in the choices we make?)

O LORD,

Fill us with Your grace,

deepen Your intimacy

        within us,

that we would seek You

            first

in whatever we face

and realize

You are with us.

And that should look

    radically different

    in what others see,

in our own hearts,

and in what we pursue.

Help us to listen

   attentively to You.

Distinguish us today

  by Your Presence.

 

I will instruct you

and teach you

in the way

   you should go;

I will counsel you

with My eye

         upon you.

        Psalm 32. 9

(God teaches,

instructs and counsels.

Are we seeking Him

    or just a solution?

Not "give me

         the answer,"

but here

       is my heart.

It is not that we are

waiting on God's response,

but He may be waiting

              for ours.)

O LORD,

Whether in the brambles

or wilderness

or what seems like

a thousand intersections

          all at once,

You are here.

Guide us, O LORD.

We don't know

       what to do,

but our eyes

       are on You.

(2 Chronicles 20. 12)

Make Your way

            obvious,

surround us with

   Your wisdom.

Help us to walk with You

   on this journey.

In Your name.

For Your glory.

   Even in this.

 

...before the LORD,

where I will

          meet with you,

to speak to you there.

           Exodus 29. 42

(The most important

appointment of the day

is coming daily

       before the LORD

to pray,

to meditate in His Word,

to listen and respond,

to know Him more.

It is not a matter

         of information,

     but transformation.

Not of instruction

     but connection.

Not of obligation,

     but love.

What we need to learn

from what is before us,

what we need to know

   before the day begins

   beyond a shadow

             of a doubt,

is that God dwells with us.

God is leading us

  in the big stuff

  and in the ordinary days

--because it is all big stuff.

And that God is God,

      and we are not.)

O LORD,

Please align our hearts

         with Yours

that we would not

   miss out on Your

Presence in this

place and time

and Your purposes.

Help us to seek You,

to follow and respond,

to be ready and prepared,

even when we don't

           know why,

because that is what

   faithfulness does.

You hear our voices

when we cry to You

            for help.

And we find

   You are already here.

May praying to You

  be our first response

and not our last resort.

 

You shall make

a plate of pure gold

and engrave on it,

like the engraving

           of a signet,

"Holy to the LORD."

       Exodus 28. 36

(In whatever I do today,

even the day itself,

engrave on it

       in word and deed

       attitude and time,

"This is the LORD's."

And recognize

    His holiness

even in the unexpected.

A signet was a seal

used as a signature

to authenticate

a document.

Or in this case,

how we approach

our work,

our responsibilities,

our struggles,

this hard place

           on the road,

even the joys.

Engrave His name on it.

In God's sight,

there are

  no ordinary days,

nothing

  He cannot redeem,

and nothing without

   His signet on it.)

O LORD,

We come before You

at the beginning

of this day and week.

Lay out before us,

             Almighty One,

Your way,

Your plans and purposes,

Your beauty and glory.

Help us to realize

    that all this,

even the parts

    unknown to us,

are in Your hand.

Help us to listen to You

     and respond.

Help us as we engrave

   Your name,

even over this.

How differently can we

approach this situation

because we know You?

 

There shall be two tenons

in each frame,

for fitting together.

          Exodus 27. 17

(There will always be

things and events

and people and stuff

and experiences

that we do not understand

    why they are there.

But the jutting-out pieces

that look useless

and out of place

may be the significant

    points of connection

        for fitting together.

We have only     

        to be faithful

and trust God

for His sovereignty

in our relationship

   with Him and others.

Some things

we were not meant

to fully comprehend.

Just to trust Him

           in them.)

O LORD,

When we come upon

the hard and difficult

and odd-shaped

      experiences,

help us to trust You more.

Nothing is out of place,

but just beyond

         our understanding.

Help us to stand at our post

and be faithful

     in carefully following You.

We may not know

          what to do,

but we can trust You.

We don't need to

             know why,

just that You already do.

Use this jutting-out tenon,

O LORD,

  to bring us closer to You.

            

 

Behold,

I send an angel

          before you

to guard you

   on the way

and to bring you

to the place that I

  have prepared.

         Exodus 23. 20

(God does not just

walk with us

into the known

      and the unknown.

God goes before us

to prepare our way

and ready our place.

God's provision,

protection,

His leading

    and Presence

    surround us.

He strategically

       places us

even on the journey,

even in these

         every days

in which there is

life-altering significance

of which we are unaware.

Every day counts,

every step meaningful,

every divine appointment

draws us into a closer walk

               with Him.)

O LORD,

We don't know what

              to do,

but our eyes are on You.

Help us to trust You

              more,

              even more,

knowing You go with us

and go before us.

You know of what we

      don't have any clue.

Your steadfast love

surrounds us,

even in what we

          don't understand.

You are in this place

      so intricately,

and we don't even

             know it.

 

...make restitution

from the best

in his own field

and in his own vineyard.

            Exodus 22. 5

(Whatever it takes

to make it right again.

It was not a common

      cultural expectation

      or response,

but indeed countercultural,

found only in the Hebrew scriptures,

a mandate for how to live

     in this broken world.

The Hebrew word

for restitution is shalom:

to make peace,

to be at peace,

to live in peace

          and completion,

to make it whole and good,

to restore,

to make amends,

to make it right again.)

O LORD,

Show us Your way

through the tempest,

whether our doing

   or another's transgression.

It does not matter

   who is at fault,

but help us to make it right,

not just to fill in the gaps,

but make our

   relationships right again.

Bring Your grace to this

    troubling situation.

Forgiveness does not say

a transgression does not

matter or graded on a curve

-- no matter what it is.

But forgiveness says

    I love you anyway,

the deepest kind of love,

the way of restoration

for both sides

          of the equation.

 

Moses spoke,

and God answered him

          in thunder.

          Exodus 19. 19

(God always answers,

sometimes in the

   most unexpected ways,

sometimes go,

sometimes wait and watch,

sometimes stay faithfully

           at our post.

Just because we cannot

  see immediate results

  that we have prescribed

doesn't mean God is

        not working,

but doing something

   deeper and wider

than we can understand.

God's timetable

     and divine appointments

     are always perfect.

     Ours are not.

Are we listening

          attentively?

Are we watching

         expectantly?

Are we willing to

   receive His answer

       and respond?

Do we even ask?)

O LORD,

Help us to not lay out

our day for You

to squeeze You

   somehow into it.

But please lay out

   Your day for us,

every appointment

every encounter,

every good work

  You have designed.

Help us to not just

watch out for You.

You are already with us,

guiding,

strengthening,

walking right here

               with us.

We ask,

You answer,

and it is up to us

           to respond.

 

And He said to him,

"You shall love the

Lord your God

with all your heart

and with all your soul

and with all your mind.

This is the great

and first commandment.

And the second is

like it:

You shall love

your neighbor

          as yourself."

   Matthew 22. 37-38

(This repetition of

Deuteronomy 6. 5

was so important

that faithful Jews

repeated it

      twice a day.

Love God

and seek the

welfare of others.

What does that

look like tangibly

in my life today?

Love is not

something we do,

but who we are.

God changes us

     through it.)

O LORD,

You have placed us

strategically in time

and place

and amidst others

     on our path.

Help us to be faithful

to You in loving them.

Create in us a pattern,

a practice, a pursuit

to serve and love You

and those around us.

Even the difficult ones

of which we are,

and You still loved us

       to You.

 

...but the people of Israel

walked on dry ground

in the midst of the sea.

        Exodus 15. 19

(Wherever we are,

whatever unexpected

        situation,

or even scary on our radar,

no matter

   the circumstances,

we can walk differently

because we

         walk with Him.

Overwhelming is just

recognition  of

our dependence on Him.

We do not acknowledge

His Presence,

 grasp fully

what He is doing,

nor what He is

    already redeeming.

How do we approach

this situation

           differently

because we are

walking with Him?

Different journey and

outcomes that cannot

remain the same.)

O LORD,

Help us to trust You

for dry ground

in the midst of

   this Red Sea.

Reveal to us

not just Your way,

   but Yourself,

that we would,

through this experience,

know that You are

          the LORD.

It is not of what I fear,

but in Whom I trust

that makes

     all the difference.

 

But God led the people

around by the way

of the wilderness

toward the Red Sea.

         Exodus 13. 18

(What was God

         thinking?

There are a lot easier

and quicker routes

that were evident.

But the unexpected ways

and unlikely places

     reveal God's hand.

It is not just about

            our story,

   but His glory.

God goes before us and

leads us along the way,

    not just scurrying

              through it.

God does not say His way

will be the quickest or

easiest in this broken world,

but God promises,

"Fear not.  I am with You."

We need to know

the reality of His Presence

beyond a shadow

              of a doubt.

And the only way

to get there is to

   "Trust Me in this.")

O LORD,

We all face

   wilderness places

and the Red Sea

       before us.

Help us to not even think

  we can do this alone.

You provide

the dry ground through

    this situation,

that we would

acknowledge Your hand

and bear witness

        to Your faithfulness

   with dry feet

   in impossible places.

Even in this.

May we bear and wear

       shoes full of sand,

and hearts aware of

Your Presence,

Your provision and strength

that are not our own.