Praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD

      from the heavens;

praise Him in the heights!

              Psalm 148. 1

(Even in the heights,

the scary places where

   we have to trust Him

          for our footing.

Even in the heights

   where the view is

            incredible.

Even in the depths

   when we can't see at all.

Has it occurred to me

    to praise God in this?

Worship changes us.

Not ignoring circumstances,

nor pretending we are ok,

nor impervious to the situation

        but responsive to it

        and faithful anyway.

Worship empowers us

   to hold fast to Him.)

O LORD,

May the sound of praise

   come before You.

May we realize

   the power of praising You.

May we witness to others

   by how we respond

   to circumstances.

We do not know

      what will happen to us,

but we hold You before us

  and know assuredly

  that You hold even tighter to us.

Wherever,

whenever,

among whomever,

in whatever,

may Your praise be

     not just our background music

     but on our lips

    and in a continuous loop

                   in our hearts.

Praising You

  changes what we hear and see.

 

So the word of the Lord

  continued to increase

  and prevail mightily.

                Acts 19. 20

(Whenever we open God's Word.

study it, meditate on it,

            marinate in it,

God cannot help but

            to change us through it.

Scripture influences

how we see Him,

     others and ourselves,

what we do and say,

how we approach

           His day for us,

how we respond

  to circumstances differently,

how we love

         and what we love.

God does not just add.

         God multiplies.

His Word enlarges our hearts

  and helps us see in the dark.)

O LORD,

Does it matter if we

     read Your Word today?

Far more

   than we can comprehend.

Almighty One,

   let Your Word prevail

   in our hearts.

May we not just recall

        what we read,

but that we never forget

    that You are God.

Thank You for Your Word

  that we can know You

  and know You more.

And in the course of our day,

   may Your Word emerge

   and strengthen us in it.

 

Then Elisha said, "Shoot,"

        and he shot.

And he said,

  "The LORD's arrow of victory..."

                2 Kings 13. 17

(God brings His victory

     in many different ways

     and from unexpected directions,

         when we are faithful to Him.

       and take the next closest step.

He is our help

   of which there is no end.

He is our hope

   on which to stake our lives.

God does not just

     work in singular victories.

He redirects our hearts

      to see Him

      and know He is God.)

O LORD,

Direct us and redirect us

           to You.

Help us to not be distracted

          by circumstances,

     or disabled by fear,

  by what we can and cannot see.

May we be faithful

and know that You sing over us.

Your favor and victory

     comes in all sizes and shapes,

even in what we cannot yet

                        understand.

And we can never ever see

            the end of Your glory.

Wherever we are,

   point us to You.

 

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

The LORD upholds

   all who are falling

and raises up

   all who are bowed down.

               Psalm 145. 14

(And sometimes

       He uses us to do that.

"O God, do something!"

And God replies,

    "That's why I put you there."

It may not be in our skillset

                    or our place

          to fix the situation,

   (although sometimes it is,

       in surprising ways.)

    But we can

             always be present.

Never underestimate

   the power of coming alongside.

Step into the need,

       reach out a hand,

be there,

and God completes it.)

O LORD,

How often we are inches away ourselves

     to be the ones

       falling and bowed down.

Engrave into us

       the strength and compassion

to see the hidden needs around us,

          and have the courage to respond.

Even just in being there for them.

And may we appreciate those

          who are present with us,

   in words and deeds

               and ongoing prayer,

not just helping us up

    but lifting us up to You.

 

Blessed are the people

   whose God is the LORD!

                 Psalm 144. 15

(Because God's people live

   on a different operating system,

   see with updated radar,

   respond not react,

   know and not just believe,

   strengthened in the ordinary,

       and faithful in the crisis.

Blessed does not mean

   picking our way

          through the broken places

  but bringing His grace there,

not defeated by circumstances

   but responsive to them.

The blessed live as an enigma,

    mysterious, puzzling,

    hard to understand,

            if not for God.)

O LORD,

Whether in the favorable

    or the overwhelming,

what are we learning in this?

What are we learning every day?

       That You are God.

And that changes

                  everything.

Help us to trust You

   in whatever is before us.

 

 

About midnight

Paul and Silas were praying

   and singing hymns to God,

and the prisoners

         were listening to them...

                     Acts 16. 25

(Others are continually watching us,

not to see if our lives are perfect,

but how we respond

        when things are not,

what we do,

how we treat others,

and if we really believe in God

          of Whom we speak

                and worship.

Do they see any difference in us?

Do they see Jesus there

     or just our bad attitude?)

O LORD,

We are surrounded

by a cloud of witnesses,

those who believe in You

and those who

     desperately want to.

Radiate from within us

that others may see You.

Help us to

   not react to circumstances,

but to respond to You.

Help us to love others

    in unexpected ways,

unexplainable if not for You.

When the servant of the man of God

rose early in the morning and went out,

behold, an army with horses and chariots

    was all around the city.

And the servant said, "Alas, my master!

      What shall we do?"

He said, "Do not be afraid,

   for those who are with us

   are more than those

           who are with them.

Then Elisha prayed and said,

"O LORD, please open his eyes

            that he may see."

So the LORD opened

           the eyes of the young man,

and he saw,

and behold, the mountain was

    full of horses and chariots of fire

all around Elisha.

                      2 Kings 6. 15-17

(What are we missing?

How would we approach this difficulty,

         or this impossible situation,

                          differently,

if we knew God was in it,

and we were surrounded

                     by His glory?

Then Elisha prayed....

   The situation did not change,

    but they both saw it

                       with new eyes.)

O LORD,

Like the servant, we cry out,

           "What shall we do?"

And as You say in this passage,

     "Do not be afraid.

         And pray to Me."

Grant to us new vision

      on ordinary days

      that we know You

          and already trust You

  way before the crisis.

We may not always

              see Your glory

but we can always know

            that You are right here.

 Now the Syrians on one of their raids

had carried off a little girl

from the land of Israel,

and she worked in the service

           of Naaman's wife.

                    2 Kings 5. 2

(What appeared as defeat and tragedy,

     God turned into a greater triumph.

A little girl was strategically positioned

     to infiltrate for God's glory.

Her faithfulness even in what 

       we would consider mundane work

paved the way

    for many to come to know God.

In God's kingdom, there are no insignificant places

            of service and worship,

    only profoundly eternal ones.

We have only to be faithful.

     We would be astonished

      what God does with it.)

 

O LORD,

Help us to work with excellence

   all that You have placed before us.

And help us to trust You

         with what You do with it.

May we be aware of Your Presence

                 even in this,

keeping our eyes on You.

Even in what we cannot yet see,

order our days,

guide our steps,

direct our thoughts,

and align our hearts with Yours.

 

 

A joyful heart

    is good medicine,

but a crushed spirit

    dries up the bones.

              Proverbs 17. 22

(Which do I choose today?

It is not a matter of

    what circumstances I am in,

but how I choose

    to live differently in them.

My attitude directly impacts my day

   and everyone else around me.

God does not promise

     a change of circumstances

 but "Do not fear. I am with you."

God empowers us to

    respond with a new heart

when we walk with Him,

follow, serve and worship.

God directs us

     to find something new

   we never saw before.

And that would be His Presence.)

O LORD,

Help us to dwell in Your Presence,

no matter the circumstances,

to know that You have

          given us a story

          to point us to You

    and reveal Yourself

         to those around us.

What we see as weary

      and insignificant,

           You multiply

    into something amazing.

Almighty One,

  strengthen our souls,

  open our eyes,

and help us to know You more.

Even in the midst

          of this hard place,

we do not have to be

       enslaved by circumstances,

   but empowered by You.

You are right here with us.

You redeem.

   Help us to remember that.

You are here

              after all.

 

...and urged them to continue

     in the grace of God.

          Acts 13. 43

(Grace breaks all the rules

     and expectations.

Grace goes over and above

   what is necessary,

way beyond my job description

  to seek the good will and welfare

  not of myself

              but those around me,

even those who don't "deserve" it,

   always who don't ever expect it.

That is what grace does.

Living in such a way

    that doesn't make sense,

               if not for God.

Bring the name of Jesus

          into the situation.

Nothing can remain the same.

The gospel in real time.)

O LORD,

Help us to continue in Your grace,

the way of grace,

the ambush of grace,

not just grace breaking the seams

        but seamless

   in all that we do this day.

May others not just see

        a difference in us,

  but to see You.

Allow Your grace

    to redeem

not just this situation

but to change our hearts.

May we be governed

   by Your divine power.

     

 

Though I walk

     in the midst of trouble,

You preserve my life.

Your steadfast love, O LORD,

             endures forever.

Do not forsake

    the work of Your hands.

               Psalm 138. 7-8

(Even in this struggle,

this hardship,

this really hard place,

   God redeems my life.

Nothing random,

  just completion even in

  what I don't understand.

Even then,

       God is with me.

God is not about

    to abandon me now.)

O LORD,

Even in trouble,

   help us to know

          You are here too.

May we come before You

    even in the midst

    of trouble or mystery

and know You redeem.

Help me to

    walk with You through this

and know You more,

    not just as a result,

    but part of the journey.

 

And behold the LORD passed by,

and a great and strong wind

   tore the mountains

   and broke in pieces the rocks

                    before the LORD,

  but the LORD

               was not in the wind.

And after the wind an earthquake,

  but the LORD

               was not in the earthquake.

And after the earthquake a fire,

   but the LORD

               was not in the fire.

And after the fire

      the sound of a low whisper.

                    1 Kings 19. 11-12

(How much do we miss

   because we are looking

               for the spectacular

       and not for God?

Sometimes He uses the wow

    to get our attention.

More often He uses the now

    to meet with us there.

He whispers,

    "I am with you.

     Do not be afraid.

     Walk with Me.")

O LORD,

Forgive us for seeking

         signs and wonders

and not listening

   for Your still small voice.

You are not just in the next thing

           but right here abiding in us.

You are with us.

And You are the Almighty One.

Help us to not just

          listen for You,

          but listen to You.

And know You more.

 

The people of Israel

    encamped before them

like two little flocks of goats,

but the Syrians filled the country.

And a man of God came near

     and said to the king of Israel,

"Thus says the LORD...

I will give all this great multitude

into your hand,

and you shall know that

                 I am the LORD."

                   1 Kings 20. 27-28

(God has in mind

    far greater triumphs

in our lives even than this.

It is not our greatness

   that has done this,

            but the LORD.

Does His favor entice us

     to steal His glory?

Or does His blessing draw us

     to fall before Him,

     knowing Him more?

Trusting in God is always

            our greatest defense.

Fervent prayer is always

            against the odds.

The greater miracle in this

   may be acknowledging

            God in the victory.

Am I seeking the triumph

         instead of Him,

making an idol

         of what I fear,

or worshiping the Almighty?)

O LORD,

We come to you

as our first response,

    not as a last resort.

Unfold Your glory

    in this impossible situation.

Help us to realize

     Your strength and wisdom

     in overwhelming odds,

and know that You are God.

You are not just bigger than this,

    but You are redeeming it

           for Your glory,

in whatever we are facing.

For we are powerless

     against this great horde

     that is coming against us. 

We don't know what to do,

   but our eyes are on You.

               (2 Chronicles 20.12)

 

And he said to his servant,

"Go up now,

     look toward the sea."

And he went up and looked

and said,

            "There is nothing."

And he said, "Go again,"

        seven times.

And the seventh time he said,

   "Behold,

    a little cloud like a man's hand

                is rising from the sea."

                1 Kings 18. 43-44

(Pray,

trust God,

and carry a big umbrella.

Have I covered this situation

              in prayer

   or coveted a particular answer?

Have I resolved not just that  

  God will answer in His good time

                          and design,

and submit not just to God's response,

      but to God Himself?

The situation may not yet be ready,

       nor our hearts

       that we would worship God

                   and not an answer.

The servant replied the first time,

                   "There is nothing."

But God responds,

           "Now watch this!")

O LORD,

Guide us not just to an answer,

  but lead us to You.

Help us to trust You

  as You unfold Your glory.

We are so myopic

            in what we pray.

Your miracles are

       not just the visible

  but how we trust You.

Prayer is not a magic button

   to get what we want,

   but how we know You more.

        

 

Come,

        bless the LORD,

all you servants of the LORD...

                  Psalm 134. 1

(Did it even occur to me

   to bless the LORD

   in this situation?

Or just ask for

      His blessing on me?

What does it look like

                      today,

how does it look differently

    to bless the LORD?

In word and deed

          and attitude?)

O LORD,

Forgive us

         for forgetting You.

We stand before You,

we walk with You,

we abide in You,

  because we love You.

Reveal to us today

   how we can serve You,

   bless You,

and bring Your name

       and glory

right into what is before us.

Help us to seek to bless You

     by trusting You in this,

     responding to others

             with love and grace,

and lay before You

      the glory due Your Name.

May we know You

       and be known as Yours.

 

...because in him

there is found something

       pleasing to the LORD.

            1 Kings 14. 13

(May our hearts be what

   distinguishes our lives.

Am I seeking

    to be pleasing to God

               in this day,

        in this struggle,

        this difficult relationship,

        this miry bog?

Just because I love Him

   changes everything about me,

          what I do,

          what I walk toward,

          what I bring in my hands

              and my heart.

What specifically can I do

                         today

   that would reflect my heart

           and be fully pleasing

            to Him?

Be Mine in this.)

O LORD,

Help us to not just

         be mindful of You today,

but have the mind of Christ

   in all of our situations.

Not seeking answers

             or solutions,

   but seeking You.

We bring before You

   not just our problems

          and dilemmas,

but our hearts.

And sometime in this day,

  may Your voice

     infiltrate our thoughts

    to "be Mine in this."

      

 

...for this thing

       is from Me.

            1 Kings 12. 24

(How would we navigate

this situation or struggle

    or difficult relationship

                 differently

if we knew it was from God?

Random does not appear

       in God's dictionary.

Not a mistake,

not an accident,

not an interruption.

God is at work in us

     and through us.

God will not redeem.

God is already redeeming.

We just need to be faithful,

strong, courageous,

work with excellence,

     and listen to Him.

Am I worshiping God

                   in this?)

O LORD,

Help us to know that

we can move freely

in our circumstances

   and relationships,

bringing Your name here,

because You redeem,

You are with us,

You sustain us,

You are drawing us

       closer to You,

   even in this.

We stand on the edge of

            Your glory

and don't yet see

         Your wonder in it.

 

If you will be a

   servant to this people

                    today

and serve them,

and speak good words to them

    when you answer them,

then they will be

          your servants forever.

                  1 Kings 12. 7

(How we respond to others

      reflects our hearts.

How we see circumstances

          and treat others

   reflects how we see God.

And in this ancient situation,

encouraging words

   and a different approach

  would have literally changed

        the course of history.

Have I considered

   how to navigate this struggle,

   these difficult circumstances,

   these impossible people

                         differently

   because I love God

   and follow Him into it?

What is a new response?

Grace takes everyone by surprise.

And kind words never wear out.

A servant heart

is the highest form of leadership.)

O LORD,

Help us to worship You

by how we respond to others.

May gracious,

       redemptive,

       encouraging words

be hallmarks of our vocabulary

  and identify us as Yours.

Show us

       how to serve in this situation,

 to come with healing

             to the table,

and bring the name of Jesus here

      by what we say and do.

         

 

And Solomon answered

   all her questions;

there was nothing hidden

              from the king

that he could not

            explain to her.

              1 Kings 10. 3

(When we seek wisdom from God,

indeed even ask for the ability

to think and measure and explore,

God does not just fill our minds

     but changes our hearts.

Solomon could answer

      the Queen of Sheba

      all of her questions,

because he knew that

    God could answer

              all of his own.

God reveals when

                 we are ready.

The wise know that they

      do not know it all,

but know the God who does.

There are always designs

and purposes and answers

we just have not comprehended yet.

The wise know they can

         trust God for the rest.)

 

O LORD,

Please point our hearts

   and our minds to You,

knowing that You know.

You do not conceal from us

    but continually guide us

as circumstances warrant

  and our hearts are ready.

It is foremost not about answers,

   but our relationship with You.

Help us as we walk with You

   to not be distracted,

        but listen and respond.

May we approach these situations,

these struggles,

our weaknesses,

the terribly confusing stuff

                  differently

because we know You.

Grant to us Your wisdom,

align our hearts with Yours,

fill our arsenal with Your grace.

Help us to direct it

                   to You,

        whatever it is.

Even today,

   may we trust You in this.

 

...and may He maintain

     the cause of His servant

and the cause of His people Israel,

         as each day requires,

that all the people of the earth

    may know

    that the LORD is God;

there is no other.

                1 Kings 8. 59-60

(God sustains and maintains us

       as each day requires,

His support,

His strength,

His divine appointments.

But how others become aware of God

   is revealed in how we respond

   to our circumstances.

The next verse is the key:

"Let your heart therefore

      be wholly true

           to the LORD our God,

walking in His statutes

and keeping His commandments,

                  as at this day."

How will others know?

Because our lives are

             differently ordered.

Because our hearts

        are true to Him,

        forgiven and redeemed.

We look different.

We respond differently.

We love differently.

God's love

                changes us.)

O LORD,

Do others see any difference

           in how we navigate

                        the storms

           or the placid seas?

Do others see us

            just as "nice people,"

   or as forgiven

   and redeemed by Your love?

Help us to be not just

            mindful of You,

but having the mind of Christ.

         Even in this struggle.

Nothing is ever the same.

We do not react to circumstances.

We walk with You.

We respond to You.

    Different heart,

    different action,

    different journey,

    and way different outcomes.

We are witnesses of Your truth

    and we are rarely aware,

even as

   You are working through us.

 

Then the LORD said to him,

"Take off the sandals

             from your feet,

for the place

   where you are standing

             is holy ground."

              Acts 7. 33

(Are we aware of His Presence?

Even in this place,

     wherever we are,

               holy to the LORD.

May we worship Him

   by treating this day accordingly.

There are no mundane,

              ordinary days.

Only ones the LORD has created,

        ordered and ordained.

How do I approach this day,

      respond to this situation,

      navigate this dilemma

because the LORD is in it,

because He is right here

                    with me?

Circumstances may not change,

                but we can be.

God redeems

   even the dirt under our feet.)

O LORD,

May we see this day differently,

     every moment holy,

even the hard passages

         and narrow squeaks,

the too much

         and the not enough.

May our response

   be strengthened

   because we know You

and we can trust You in it.

Help us to navigate in ways

   unexplainable

                   if not for You.

Help us to not just

   see this situation with new eyes,

but to see You differently.

       Right here with us.

       Almighty and holy.

 

Now when forty years had passed,

an angel appeared to him

in the wilderness of Mount Sinai,

in a flame of fire

                   in a bush.

               Acts 7. 30

(All those decades

in what only appeared

       as a barren land,

was not wasted time

                after all,

but a time of

    preparation and training,

    awareness and faithfulness,

            even in the ordinary.

Learning how to listen

               and see differently,

how to walk and to trust.

         and how to respond.

God always uses

    the wilderness for His glory,

engraving His Presence

  into the pattern

     and practices of our lives.)

O LORD,

We don't always recognize

    Your hand and Your Presence

when things are hard,

or when the landscape is a mess,

or even when

             all is favorable.

Help us to not just acknowledge You,

   but abide in You

   and walk in Your ways,

even when it seems like

              nothing is happening.

Almighty One,

    We are not alone.

    You are with us.

May we never

        ignore Your Presence

nor underestimate the wonders

          of the wilderness.

There are no insignificant days,

      nor little obediences.)

 

Behold, I give you

    a wise and discerning mind...

I give you also

   what you have not asked...

               1 Kings 3. 12-13

(God says,

     "Ask what I shall give you."

And how do we answer Him?

For stuff, fame, accomplishment?

    Or a heart and mind aligned with His?

Seek first the kingdom of God

          and His righteousness

   and all the rest will be given.

We are so distracted

    by one dimensional wants

that we cannot see more than a dot.

God enlarges our vision

     by adding two dimensions

              of height and breadth.

And even that is not enough.

God opens up a third dimension,

    the way of seeing deeper,

    an enlarged heart.

But God gives even more

      when we seek Him.

The fourth dimension

          is the awe of God.)

O LORD,

There is so much more

            to this life

than we can comprehend.

Enlarge our hearts

   and open up our vision

that we would be

    above all things,

       faithful to You.

And above all things,

  that You would be

           fruitful through us.

Grant to us, O LORD,

    an understanding mind,

    eyes that see in the dark

           and through steel

           and even underwater,

    and enlarged hearts

          that respond to You,

      to see dimensions

           far beyond circumstances,

      and to love and treat others differently,

because we love You.

    

             

...and keep the charge

       of the LORD your God,

walking in His ways

and keeping His statutes,

His commandments,

His rules,

and His testimonies,

as it is written in the Law of Moses,

that you may prosper

           in all that you do

       and wherever you turn,

that the LORD

     may establish His word...

                   1 Kings 2. 3

(Prosper in our culture

   is a word that has been

   hijacked for personal greed.

Prosper in ancient Hebrew

   does not promise you will

   be rich and successful,

but that you may be wise

  in all that you do

  and wherever you turn.

In keeping charge, seeking God,

  walking with Him,

  paying attention,

our relationship with God

    changes the trajectory

                   of our lives

and influences the lives

   of everyone around us,

even far beyond our lifetimes.

There are

       no small obediences.)

O LORD,

Help us to pursue You

     in all that we do

     and wherever we turn,

          with great intention

     trusting You,

     following You,

     paying attention

       to our relationship with You.

Even what we consider as details

     matters far more

     than we will ever know.

May we be aware

   that You are

          confirming Your Word

                     in us

and revealing Yourself

      in lifechanging ways.

 

 

As the LORD lives,

who has redeemed my soul

    out of every adversity...

            1 Kings 1. 29

(God does not promise

that things will be easy,

or always perfect,

comfortable and successful.

But God redeems,

even the hard stuff,

even the odd-shaped pieces

      we do not understand,

far beyond our lifetimes.

Others recognize

          Jesus in our hearts

by how we respond

     to both the favorable

     and adverse.

We never know

         who is listening,

         who is watching,

to see if Jesus really

              makes a difference,

if Jesus has changed

              our hearts.)

O LORD,

Thank You for what

         being with You

         does in us.

Help us recognize

      Your Presence with us,

help others to see

   the difference You make,

help us to know

             You redeem,

not just someday,

but backwards and forwards

          and even in the now.

We just can't see it

    from where we are standing.

But we can trust You in this.

 

But Peter said,

"I have no silver and gold,

but what I do have

        I give to you.

In the name of

       Jesus Christ of Nazareth,

rise up and walk."

             Acts 3. 6

(We can't do everything,

    but we can do something.

We can see others

             differently

   and respond to them.

We can love them.

But what I do have,

because we are

         loved by Jesus,

   we can love others.

How can we help others

       rise up and walk?

By seeing them differently,

loving them in unexpected ways

    and pointing them to Jesus.

Our stuff has very little

               to do about it.

Our hearts have everything

               to respond.)

O LORD,

We pray that we would be

      not just mindful of You,

but have the mind of Christ

         even in this situation,

         even in this relationship.

Love is always desperately needed.

       Grace is always unexpected.

Help us to see others

    with different eyes

    and a different heart

because we see You

                differently.

May Your love and grace

              and forgiveness

   radiate among us

and point others to You,

   even when we are unaware.

 

...but the LORD

      was my support.

He brought me out

      into a broad place.

            2 Samuel 22. 19-20

(On whom or what

we seek in the everydays

becomes our support,

     our stronghold,

     our strength

on which we rely

          in the crisis.

It is not just in

         the great victories,

but everyday

     is a story of God's faithfulness.

Our circumstances may

           or may not change,

but when we see God differently,

we see our circumstances

      --the known and the unknown--

                 as an adventure.

God grants to us

new eyes,

a new heart,

          and His strength.)

O LORD,

You live.

And that changes everything.

You are our support

                   and security

   even in the scary places

when we don't know

          where to step next.

In the midst of the impossible,

the unexpected, the unlikely,

the overwhelming,

    that is when we

             recognize Your hand.

You give us Your peace,

not by an absence of conflict,

     but by Your Presence.

You give us Your refuge,

    not in which to hide,

but to be strengthened

     to go forth

                  with You.

 

     

 

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where

        does my help come?

My help comes from the LORD,

   who made heaven and earth.

                      Psalm 121. 1-2

(As one of the psalms of ascent,

this passage does not imply

       looking over a beautiful vista,

but the impossible mountain,

           sheer cliffs,

           and steep slope before me.

How do I approach it?

How do I navigate it?

How do I endure?

We all struggle with something.

But where I seek help

   defines the journey and outcome.

God grants me help

            step by step,

seeking Him

     and moving forward

     in His strength,

               not our own.

Take one step

    and the next will emerge.

And in the process,

others are encouraged

             to trust Him too.

How we approach this ordinary day

         or degree of difficulty

directs us to Him

and points others to God

   who are watching us

   on the side of the path

to see not if we are successful

    but faithful to Him.)

O LORD,

May Your strength be revealed

    not just to us,

but to all those around us.

How in the world

        do we ascend these hills,

   if not by Your strength?

Our help comes from You.

May we never forget that.

Whatever it may be,

conquering the mountain is not

                 the point,

but trusting You.

 

In my distress

    I called to the LORD

and He answered me.

                 Psalm 120. 1

(Not complaining,

nor grumbling,

nor worrying,

but calling to the LORD

   is the hinge of change

   and the turning point,

a heart willing to turn to God,

          ask for help

          and accept it.

This is the first verse

    of the Psalms of ascent,

the songs that were sung

     on the hard upward climbs.

What am I singing?

God knows there are

   many impossible hills

   in each of our lives.

And He is with us on every one,

       every step of the way.

It is not that the view from the top

          is glorious and triumphant,

but realizing His Presence with us,

His strength and vision

              when we have none.)

O LORD,

The path is steep.

We are out of water

     and out of strength

     and sometimes feel

           out of our minds.

Help us to walk with You.

Bless our conversation

        and abiding with You.

It is not that You are teaching us.

   You want to be with us.

Every step of faithfulness

          leads to another.

And in each step,

     we come to know You

                         more.

You are with us.

           Even in this.

Let Your hand be

         ready to help me,

for I have chosen

             Your precepts.

            Psalm 119. 173

(Our relationship with God

      changes us.

We can respond differently

    because we know Him.

His peace is not

       an absence of turmoil,

   but His Presence with us.

Our relationship

    is not just a 911 call

              in times of crisis,

   but a pattern of life,

a continual conversation,

a deepening relationship,

knowing He is there,

knowing His hand,

knowing on Whom

   we can stake our lives,

   in good times and in trouble.

And God empowers us

  to be ready to help others.)

O LORD,

We all struggle with something.

But we can know

          --not just believe--

that You are with us

             to help us

  and hold us by Your hand.

Help us to seek You

              continually

   no matter the circumstances

that we may know You

              even more.