Mark the blameless

and behold the upright...

          Psalm 37. 37

(Seek out those people

who intentionally

           run with God.

Learn from them,

underline what they do,

watch their ways,

and how they navigate

  in this broken world

          with the LORD.

What is their heart like?

How do they live it out

      when they fail

      or life is really hard

      or when all looks bleak?

How do they respond

           to affliction

and to the affliction of others?

Is it all about them

           or all about Jesus?

Is there joy and strength

    that cannot be explained

    if not for God?)

 

O LORD,

You never intended for us

to do life on our own

without You

or without Your people.

You have said that

   You have many people

   wherever we may be.

Help us to seek them out,

those who have

   the mind and heart of Christ,

those who know You

and follow You

         moment by moment.

Those who are not perfect

            and know that,

    but who know You.

And help us to be a witness

     and bear with-ness

in this community

to build up those

              among us

and those around us

to point them to You.

Help us to know

that You are truly

               among us

and You have

        strategically appointed us

    for Your Kingdom

    and for Your glory,

even in unexpected places,

among unlikely people

    and in the seemingly absurd.

May we bear witness to You

and be faithful to You today,

even in ways

          we will never know.