I will break in pieces

   the doors of bronze

and cut through

   the bars of iron,

I will give you

   the treasures of darkness

  and the hoards

         in secret places,

that you may know

    that it is I,

the LORD,

the God of Israel,

who calls you

         by your name.

        Isaiah 45. 2-3

(God works in the impossible,

in mysterious ways,

in unexpected places,

far beyond our imagination

     or even our prayers,

that we would not just know

that He is the one

   who brought this about,

         precisely fit together,

but that we would

      know that He is.

He is God Almighty.

To know Him

   and make Him known.)

O LORD,

You answer us when we call

in ways we sometimes

            do not recognize

            or expect

            or maybe even want.

But You are working mightily

   even when we don't see it

and even when we do.

Break down the locked doors

and lead us in Your way

                in this.

May our decisions be

     rooted in Your Presence

and not swayed by fear.

May we be witnesses

            to Your power

and be a witness to others

  not just by pointing them

                     to You

but by lives transformed

  by Your love and grace.

Even right where we are,

even in a place where we

       would not rather be,

even among the rebellious,

to bring Your name

     and Your glory here.