The Weakest, the Least, and the Unlikely

 

"Please, Lord,

     how can I save Israel?

Behold, my clan is the weakest

                 in Manasseh,

and I am the least

     in my father's house."

And the LORD said to him,

  "But I will be with you..."

             Judges 6. 15-16

(How in the world can I

   do this impossible task?

How many amazing experiences

   do we miss

   because we think God has

           the wrong person in mind?

    And that would be us.

Indeed, God always chooses

     the most unlikely people,

because those people know

    it is not in them

    but God Almighty working.

What has He placed before us

    today for His kingdom,

              for His glory,

    for His name all over it?

Hudson Taylor once said,

 "There are three stages

to every great work of God:

first it is impossible, then difficult,

               then done."

The strength of our lives

is not in this challenge before us

      but in His promise:

  "But I will be with you."

And that changes everything.)

O LORD,

Help us to ponder

   not the degree of difficulty,

but Your Presence with us.

Please grant Your courage to us

    to follow You right into this.

You bring the victory

   even in unlikely ways.

Help us to trust You every step

and navigate this differently

   because You are with us.

Open our eyes

   to both familiar and new

that we would traverse

   Your course through this.

And that we wouldn't

          miss the view.

Impossible Peace in Volatile Places

 

And the land had rest

     for forty years.

                Judges 55. 31

(When we listen, respond,

follow God willingly

           and faithfully,

both the journey and the outcome

     cannot help but be

                    very different.

He bears unexpected fruit

         in unlikely places.

He plants forests of majestic oaks

   in barren landscapes.

When we trust Him

        into a difficult situation,

He enlarges our vision

    and strengthens our hearts.

We may have many ideas

          how to handle it,

    but God says, "Trust Me."

And He shows us how.)

O LORD,

If we only realized

that following

   and trusting You

would transform our hearts

   and literally change the world.

You have given us Your Word

that we may know

    life as You intended.

Grant to us the courage today

    to walk away from

    selfishness with its empty promises

           but only trips us up.

Help us to be the bearers

  of Your peace and grace

   in impossible situations.

Bless us, we pray,

    with Your rest

as only You can give.

 

Not-So-Casual Conversations

 

And there arose another generation

         after them

who did not know the LORD

or the work He had done for Israel.

And the people of Israel did

   what was evil

   in the sight of the LORD

and served the Baals.

               Judges 2. 10-11

(Everyone worships something.

And what we worship impacts

    everything about us.

If we do not worship God,

other lesser gods

   take His rightful place.

Without His goodness,

          violence prevails.

We are one generation away.

What faith legacy are we leaving

   to our children and grandchildren?

What they know about God,

and how they know about God

   is largely dependent on us.

They are watching us closely

   to know if God is real

by all that we do, say,

every interaction with them

    and every conversation.

Not just that we love them,

  but there is an Almighty God

  who loves them even more.)

O LORD,

May we be aware

  of speaking of You,

Your steadfast love

   and Your faithfulness.

Help us to seize

    opportunities all around us

to make You known today,

even in the most casual

                conversations.

And please empower us

  to live in such a way

that others are

            homesick for You.

Even today,

   please help us

   to intentionally bring Your name

to the next generations

and that they may know You

      as savior and Lord.

No Divide Between the Ordinary and Sacred

 

And he will show you

a large upper room furnished;

            prepare it there.

And they went and found it

     just as He had told them.

                  Luke 22. 12-13

(Exactly why does God

    want me to do this

                 mundane task

    that doesn't seem to matter?

Because it does enormously.

Sometimes we have no idea

       God's appointment in this.

But His sacred encounters

    and deeper purposes

    are embedded far more

    than we can see at the time.

We don't have to

                know the outcome

   to be faithful to Him.

God calls us to be awake,

   attentive, willing and ready.

God brings His fruitfulness

         to our faithfulness,

even in ways we may never realize.

Whoever prepared that spare room

   had no idea

what God was about to do with it.)

O LORD,

Help us to be sensitive

   to Your nudges

as we go about our days

that You would direct our hearts

    and establish our work

    for Your Kingdom

             and Your glory

  in what we only see as

       ordinary details.

Empower us to be faithful

   in whatever

You place before us today,

  full of grace and wonder,

     delighted that

     You have invited us

   into Your eternal designs.

Help us to be

      faithful to You,

   even in this familiar task today.

In Your eyes,

  nothing is mundane.

    All we do is

           sacred work.

   

     

Deep Pockets

 

For they all contributed

   out of their abundance,

but she out of her poverty

   put in all

   she had to live on.

              Luke 21. 4

(Give generously,

       live generously,

not just in financial terms.

Giving means being aware

     and responsive to others.

Our greatest witness

     is how --or if-- we respond

     to the hearts

         of those around us,

not just in how we give

       but how we live

    with the heart of Jesus in us.

Grace always costs something,

    but continually multiplies

far beyond our vision

     and way past our lifetimes.

Even a mite disrupts

  the selfishness of our hearts

and heals in some profound way

  the brokenness of this world.)

O LORD,

Please show us

how to set aside our pride

and be responsive

      to the needs around us

      on so many levels.

What is our calling?

   To love You and others.

Make us mindful of

   those opportunities today.

Help us to live faithfully.

And to carry deep pockets

      of grace into this day.

Building Instructions

 

Let us now build an altar,

not for burnt offering,

nor for sacrifice,

but to be a witness....

           Joshua 22. 26-27

(Let us honor God

     not for show,

     or obligation,

but to build altars to Him

  in what we do,

  how we work,

  how we worship,

  and how we treat others.

That we may be a witness

         in this broken world

and an intriguing testimony

   of how God changes lives.

Are the altars we build

               to ourselves

     or to Him?

Where is the spotlight?)

O LORD,

We come before Your altar

dragging our brokenness

     to You for Your healing

and that we may live

   in such a way

   that others are pointed to You.

Please empower us

   to build altars to You

on the sacred ground,

   wherever You guide us today,

stone upon stone,

grace upon grace,

worshiping You in all things.

Help us to seize opportunities

    to be a witness for You

in the favorable, difficult,

         and the unexpected,

knowing You create the best altars

      with shattered pieces.

You redeem all things.

  

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

The Fine Art of Binding

 

Only be careful...

to love the LORD your God,

and to walk in all His ways,

and to keep His commandments,

and to cling to Him,

and to serve Him

   with all your heart

   and with all your soul.

                Joshua 22. 5

(How differently would it take

in whatever is ahead today?

What we can both see and prepare for,

and even in what is not expected

   but get our hearts ready?

How do we go into this day?

The words of St. Patrick:

"Christ before me, Christ with me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me,

on my right and on my left,

when I lie down, sit down, arise.

I bind myself to Him.")

O LORD,

We pray that we would be sensitive

    to Your Presence

    already around us,

guiding, providing, protecting,

aligning, and realigning.

We bind ourselves to You today

   that we may know You more,

no matter what is before us.

You are God.

You are our God.

Please transform our hearts

   to glorify You in unlikely places,

even when we are unaware.

First Things First

 

Every day

   I call upon You,

              O LORD.

I spread out

         my hands to You.

            Psalm 88. 9

(And that cannot help

           but change everything

    about our day and ourselves.

First things first.

Recognizing our strength

   and direction from Him,

His Presence with us,

His purposes surrounding us,

His embrace

           wherever we are.

No matter what,

                we are not alone.

Are we reaching out to Him?

Are we spreading out

    our plans before Him

or accepting with open hands

     and an excited heart

              His day for us?)

O LORD,

When we come before You,

we realize that You

           are already here,

guiding our thoughts,

aligning our hearts with Yours,

running with us

         into the day ahead.

May how we approach difficulty

   or navigate circumstances,

   or how we treat others,

above all things

            bring glory to You today.

You are

      by Whom we are known.

Even In The Deep Dark Woods

 

...but the hill country

         shall be yours,

for though it is a forest,

you shall clear it

and possess it

to its farthest borders.

           Joshua 17. 18

(Sometimes we ask God,

"You want me to do what?"

What patch of ground

  has the LORD given each of us

to tend, nourish, plant,

clear out the briars,

occupy, recreate,

and bring His name, grace

          and love

    to its farthest borders?

Even that big deep forest

    where what might we find?

Just because it is difficult,

does not mean that

     God is not in it.

But we find Him already there,

       preparing our way.

Just because it is not

                in our skill set,

God brings His strength

     and His glory to it.

"I can't do that!"

God replies,

    "Good, because I can.")

O LORD,

No matter the thick woods

   or barren desert,

impossible people

   or rocky soil,

You walk with us,

You prepare our way,

You equip our hearts.

Please help us to be aware

    of opportunities

to establish Your kingdom

   even in this place today.

We come not just before You,

   but come to trust You

   even more.

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Upclose and Personal

 

...You are my God.

             Psalm 86. 2

(And that changes everything

         about us --

what we do,

how we do it,

why we do it,

what we choose,

how we treat others

    --even the irritable ones,

how we approach and

   navigate the ordinary

   and the extraordinary,

   what is in the forecast,

        and the unexpected,

what we seek,

how we give,

how we love God

       and love others.

God is upclose

         and personal.

He changes what we see

  through the windshield

     and the rearview mirror.

Our road may not change,

   but our journey with Him

   and our hearts.)

O LORD,

You are not just God.

You are my God.

Please tweak and transform

   my heart today.

May I walk with You.

May I run with You.

May I follow You

     on this path

and even into the storms.

Write Your name

    all over my day

that I will know You more,

and be known as Yours.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

How to Not Lose Heart

 

And He told them a parable

to the effect that they

    ought always to pray

and not lose heart.

               Luke 18. 1

(Praying is our first response,

      not our last resort.

God does not just change situations,

      He changes us,

even in the coming before Him.

Pray.

And then pray all the way

    around the circumstances,

down every hallway,

           every angle,

      all the crevices.

God aligns our hearts with His.

We do not lose heart,

    but praying strengthens us.)

O LORD,

Thank You that we can come

      right before You,

  pray and walk with You

   through whatever is on our path.

Please help us to discover

    Your strength in this place.

Help us to not lose heart,

but to know You are with us

        and You are in this.

Not Just An Errand or Detour

 

On the way to Jerusalem

He was passing along

between Samaria and Galilee.

              Luke 17. 11

(We are never just

                 "passing along."

Wherever we go,

     even on the way to Home Depot,

God has strategically placed us.

How do we see the day

            ahead of us?

Full of difficulties

     and bothersome tasks

     to get through on our own?

Or overflowing with opportunities

    to love and serve Him

        with His strength.

Our most profound ministry

    may be embedded

    in our comings and goings

       on the most ordinary days.

How do we respond

   to what we see as a speed bump

               or pothole,

which may not be

     an interruption at all?

God brings His strength to us

      to bring His name here.)

O LORD,

Open our eyes along our way

that we would respond

   with a different heart

   to even the most ordinary

              or difficult.

Build Your strength in us

  that we may more freely give.

Help us to be aware

    and pay attention

to what -- or whom--

You place on our path today.

For Your glory.

In Your name.

First Things First

 

...but did not ask

   counsel of the LORD.

            Joshua 9. 14

(Always a bad idea.

Always a big mistake.

God does not just know

   what we are headed into,

God knows us.

    And how much we need Him.

Have I considered

          asking the LORD about this?

It matters.  It matters a lot.

Nothing too small

       that is not profound.

Nothing too big

       that He cannot handle.

Have I considered

   following God into this?

Praying all the way around it.

His counsel is not limited

                 to the now,

but multiplies

            way into the future,

impacting the journey, direction

                     and outcome,

    in far more ways

    than we will ever be aware.)

O LORD,

We come to You

   with our dilemmas,

   our joys,

   the beginning of the day,

 and the givenness of things.

Align our hearts with Yours.

Even in what

    we don't understand

or cannot yet see,

please help us

    to walk through it with You.

Remind us not just

       to seek Your wisdom,

but to commit our ways

                   to You.

Ready for the Ambush

 

Behold,

you shall lie in ambush

against the city,

               behind it.

Do not go very far

      from the city,

but all of you remain ready.

...Then you shall rise up

             from the ambush

and seize the city,

for the LORD your God

will give it into your hand.

                  Joshua 8. 4, 7

(Sometimes following the LORD

means doing

     what makes no sense at all.

Are we willing to trust Him?

Or do we think our ideas

   are a lot better than God's?

We have no idea

    what we are up against,

nor His protection,

   nor how He has equipped us.

"Follow Me into this."

What is He forming in us?

         Learning to listen.)

O LORD,

Please help us to stand equipped

    and ready to respond.

You are doing a much mightier work

    than we can ever imagine.

May we follow You

   every step into this dilemma,

or even this seemingly ordinary day.

Above all things and outcomes,

   we desire to be faithful to You,

even when we don't understand,

even when we don't ever see

                the outcome.

You pour Your glory all over it.

Marching Around the Impossible

 

You shall march

       around the city...

         Joshua 6. 3

(As Joshua marched faithfully

            around Jericho,

not knowing what this would do,

have we considered

praying around our hard situations,

our extreme difficulties,

that pothole or impossible task?

Praying around it.

             Over and over.

And in the process of praying,

     knowing God is working,

not just on the situation

           but on our hearts.

Are we willing to follow Him?

And finally see

      what God brings about,

a crack in the fortress,

a new way through

              the scary stuff.

His Presence is

       not to be recognized,

       but realized.)

O LORD,

Help us to always be aware

   that we can pray to You.

Empower us in this situation

   not just to call out to You,

   but to worship You

             right here, right now,

   with our feet

               and our prayers.

Please help us

   not just to be delivered

             from difficulty,

but to bring Your name here

and worship You,

              even in this.

May we seek Your face

and be faithful

     in the ordinary

     and the extraordinary.

What In The World Am I Doing Here?

 

...that you may know

     the way you shall go,

for you have not

     passed this way before.

             Joshua 3. 4

(Even when we find ourselves

in an uncomfortable,

unexpected,

or unfamiliar place,

we can trust God

        right in the midst of it.

Sometimes God says go,

sometimes He says stay,

sometimes He nudges us

   to "do something different

                for Me there."

Wherever we are,

    the new or strange,

    the common or accustomed,

    expected or unforecasted,

we can be a faithful witness,

         even in this situation.

What in the world

        are we doing here?

Right in His hands.

We may question

  if we have made a wrong turn,

but that's when trusting God

           comes in,

not what we planned or expect,

     but following Him anyway.

We can know we are not on our own.

Even if we don't understand,

       we can take His hand.)

O LORD,

We are surrounded by

so many reasons to doubt

             ourselves or You.

Please empower us to

         listen to Your voice alone.

May we know --and those with us--

    that You are the Lord God.

Please help us to not run away

        or hide,

        or pray away

what You are forming in us.

Equip us to

   love these people to You.

Help us to infiltrate this culture

    with Your Word and grace.

We are not wandering after all,

    but walking with You.

Daily Reminder

 

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be frightened,

  and do not be dismayed,

for the LORD your God

  is with you

          wherever you go.

              Joshua 1. 9

(Even in what we face today.

Not that there is nothing

            to be afraid of,

   for there is always something.

Not that God will show up

                      at some point,

   for He is already right here.

But we can approach this situation

  and navigate it differently

because God is with us.

Even in this hard place,

   He covers us with His strength.

Strength in ancient Hebrew

   means to tie fast

   and to bind strongly.

He has a strong hold on us.

We can bind ourselves to Him.

Different heart, different journey,

        way different outcome.)

O LORD,

We come to You in our fears

     of both known and unknown

     adversaries.

Help us to take Your hand in this

and walk with You through

     whatever is on our path today.

Empower us to pay attention

  and to act wisely,

aware of Your Presence

and live differently

     because we know You.

Bring both Your strength

   and Your wonders

for Your sake,

for Your Kingdom,

and in Your holy name.

Strength in Impossible Places

 

Your bars shall be

       iron and bronze,

and as your days,

so shall your strength be.

         Deuteronomy 33.25

(Do we consider that

this hard thing,

this resistance

   and seeming impossible task

might instead be

         strength training?

When we respond to God,

each day God builds up

our reserves and endurance

         incrementally,

not just for now,

   but what is yet to come.

To see not difficulty,

           but opportunity.

Learning to trust God

      a little bit more.

Learning to run with Him.

Learning to lift

   the weight of His glory.

Leaning on Him.

As our days,

   so shall our strength be.)

O LORD,

May we not try to lift

  ourselves up by our bootstraps,

but turn to You

   and depend on Your strength.

Please help us to respond to You

      and follow You

      into what this day brings,

knowing that You are with us.

Build Your strength in us

   not just to get through this,

but to be faithful to

          Your calling for us.

Help us to exchange

       our inadequacies

       for Your strength.

May others see

    it is not in me,

                but You.

As our days,

  so shall Your strength be.

What Is The One Thing Today?

 

Everyone to whom

     much was given,

of him much

     will be required,

and from him whom

    they entrusted much,

they will demand the more.

                   Luke 12. 48

(We have each been entrusted

with gifts, abilities,

responsibilities, patches of ground

          and souls in our care.

May we respon faithfully

   to our divine appointments,

   no insignificant details

no division between great and small,

          but all profound,

even on the most "ordinary" day.

In Greek, entrusted means

   to place near and proximate,

to set before

   and commit to one's charge.

God has strategically positioned us.

What is the one thing

         we must do today?

To be faithful.)

O LORD,

Please help us to not be distracted

    but to be faithful to You,

not just in what is necessary,

   but what is faithful.

Help us to follow You

    right into this day.

And to use Your gifts to us

   in a way that brings

honor and glory to You.

Never Forget This

 

Be strong and courageous.

Do not fear

   or be in dread of them,

for it is the LORD your God

       who goes with you.

He will not leave you

                 or forsake you.

             Deuterornomy 31. 6

(How many times

does God have to remind us

     that He is with us?

We can approach difficulties

   and navigate the storms

with a different narrative,

    a fresh heart,

    and His strength.

God does not promise that

   life will be easy

   or that there is nothing

                to be afraid of,

but He does promise

    He is right here with us,

in the midst of the trouble

and the middle of our mess.

Trust Me in this.

And that changes everything.)

O LORD,

It is neither our strength

          or might or courage,

    but Yours.

Please help us to see

      with Your creative eyes

and to handle what is before us

       with Your strength,

                 not ours.

Bring these words of Yours

     to mind over and over again.

Engrave Your Word

             over all that we do

and write Your name all over us..

The Incredible and Indelible

 

He divided the sea

and let them pass through it,

and made the waters

         stand like a heap.

              Psalm 78. 13

(Our lives are filled with

     God's huge interventions

that sometimes

             we are so unaware,

the narrow squeaks,

the accidents we didn't see avoided,

His moving heaven and earth

    to make a path

    through an impenetrable wall.

Are we even mindful

   of His leading us through

   impossible situations?

Do we take credit for it?

Or chalk up the miraculous

                as mere luck?

God's glory is all around,

   and we are oblivious.)

O LORD,

You guide us

     and provide for us

in incredible and indelible ways.

Help us to not just

     recognize and acknowledge 

            Your hand,

       but Your Presence with us.

Grant to us the vocabulary

       to give You the glory.

And the eyes to behold

           Your daily wonders.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Overwhelmed or Overtaken

 

And all these blessings

       shall come upon you

and overtake you,

   if you obey the voice

   of the LORD your God.

            Deuteronomy 28. 2

(It is not that if we align our hearts

          with His 

       that all will be easy,

but taking His hand

            as He walks with us through

    the broken and the bleak.

We experience these realities

    with a new strength.

We live an incredibly different life

     if we follow Him into it,

even in the midst of hardship,

   trouble, drought or pain.

God has strategically placed us

       to bring His name here.

We are not alone.  He is with us.

And blessings arrive

         in strange packaging.)

O LORD,

Overtake us!

Please help us to dwell with You,

even in the midst of

           this crazy world.

We seek not just Your blessings,

but that we would bless You

   and bless others

   in all that we do today,

 wherever You have guided us.

Open our hearts and eyes

  that we would be aware

                and equipped

   to bring Your blessing

   to impossible circumstances.

And trust You

     as You work Your wonders.

Walking Freely Through Minefields

 

...but the prudent

       ignores an insult.

           Proverbs 12. 16

(A prudent person walks cautiously

    through the minefields,

not impervious to pain

     but responds differently.

The prudent give thought

   and show care for the future.

We have hearts

               changed by God

and that should show

            in volatile places.

Our identity is not at stake,

but our character.

        How we respond

        tells a lot about us.

   Our pride is not wounded

   because our pride

              is not who we are.

We are secure in God.

We need not react to missile strikes,

         but ready to respond with grace.

The prudent walk freely through

          the shrapnel and swamps,

     and even then,

        unexpectedly seek good for others,

free of the grudges

  that handicap relationships

                    for a lifetime.)

O LORD,

Fill our hearts with Your love and grace

   that we have no reason

   to retaliate,

but take everyone by surprise

    with a kind and gracious response.

Help us to approach conflict,

     navigate the storms,

     and act like Your people,

             even in this situation.

Please show us how we can

   respond differently,

   take the high road,

and bring others with us.

Like A Good Neighbor

 

Which of these three,

        do you think,

proved to be a neighbor

to the man who

    fell among the robbers?"

He said,

  "The one who showed mercy."

              Luke 10. 36-37

(According to the Jews,

a neighbor was any member

          of the Hebrew nation.

But as always, Jesus takes love

     to a deeper level.

According to Christ,

a neighbor is any other person

  irrespective of nation or religion,

among whom we live,

whom we chance to meet,

or who is proximate,

      familiar or unexpected.

We don't have to look far.

God provides countless

    divine appointments,

    sacred encounters,

and opportunities to show grace.

How do we view others?

Do we have mercy

               ready to roll?)

O LORD,

We pray that You will

     fill our hearts with mercy,

push out selfishness

       and critical thoughts

with Your love

   that gets all over everything.

Please open our eyes

  to respond to strategic moments

  to love other people

         right into Your Kingdom.

To love them

         just as You love us.

Help us not just to

       be a good neighbor,

but to love like You.

Show us how that truth

             plays out today.

The Very Best Welcome Gift

 

Whatever house you enter,

first say,

   "Peace be to this house!"

And if a son of peace is there,

   your peace 

           will rest upon him.

But if not,

          it will return to you.

               Luke 10. 5-6

(When we bring peace with us,

   it cannot help

   but change our hearts

                 and responses

   and sometimes

      the entire situation.

Either way is a blessing.

Whatever house, whatever situation,

before we even cross the threshold,

          always bring peace

          as a welcome gift.

It may change others,

and turn the situation around,

   but it always changes us,

       how we respond to circumstances,

       and how we treat others.

What if we claimed peace first

    wherever we enter?

We wear a newly strengthened heart.

Not that we change anything,

         but God does.

What is my attitude

         in this hard situation

    or unknown space?

Peace and grace

          defuse ammunition

  and always

        take others by surprise.)

O LORD,

Help us to realize that

  every appointment is divine,

  every encounter is sacred,

and we have no idea

     how You are using us here.

May Your peace

        soften our hearts

  and radically change

         our bad-itudes.

Your peace

    You have given us.

Let Your aroma linger

   wherever we go.

 

Saying Yes

 

But as for you,

the LORD your God

has not allowed you

             to do this.

       Deuteronomy 18. 14

(Some things are just not ok.

God is not mean

    or wanting to squash us,

but God is more loving

        than we can imagine.

And sometimes that means

            saying "no."

He knows our limitations.

He knows what ensnares

     and trips up our hearts.

His love covers us as a shield

    and saves us from ourselves.

His precepts show us a different way

     to higher ground for our great good

      and the welfare of others.

Saying "no" to one thing

   means saying "yes" to another.

His directions empower us to thrive

and avoid the minefield

     wherever we may be.

A precept is an old Latin word

   that means to warn or instruct,

to point out God's way in this.

In His statutes,

       God shows us to yes

     -- to what is good and right,

        just, loving and gracious.

Because what we do and choose

    always directly impacts 

                   everyone around us.       

We can give someone else courage

 by making different choices ourselves

    that honor God and love others.)

O LORD,

Please help us to trust You

   in Your directions.

Grant to us the strength

   to do what is right

              in Your eyes

and honorable for Your Kingdom.

Give us Your grit

   to follow after righteousness

and to be brave and daring

        as Your people.

Guide our choices

              for Your glory.

A Million Unexpected Ways

 

And what was left over

  was picked up,

twelve baskets

     of broken pieces.

          Luke 9. 17

(Just another incident of

God's fundamental law

            of leftovers.

God provides

   and God multiplies,

not just enough

   but more than we can imagine.

That's what obedience to God

    looks like in tangible ways.

That's what happens

   when we follow Him

   into an impossible situation

        or the commonplace.

Obedience never bears

           singular blessings,

but gets all over everyone

   for generations.)

O LORD,

Help us to realize

that all that we do

           in following You

impacts our walk with You,

but also directly affects

    everyone around us

and everyone who comes

             after us,

    even the yet unborn.

Guide us into this day.

Align our hearts with Yours.

Appoint our steps.

Redeem for Your glory.

No Surprises

 He is not here,

    for He has risen,

as He said.

Come see the place

   where He lay.

               Matthew 28. 6

(The women were surprised

when they arrived at the tomb.

Jesus who died

           was not there.

The angel told them

             He has risen.

He died for our sins.

But then He conquered death.

    We are all covered

        by what He did.

              Even as He said.

No earning salvation

     but accepting His sacrifice.

Once for all.

Jesus never intended for us

          to believe in a religion.

But in Him.

We worship and serve

                    a living Savior.

May we go forth into our days,

   knowing He goes with us.

                     He is alive.

And because of the resurrection,

  nothing will ever be the same.

If we follow Him,

        we will live forever.

No surprises.

He is risen.  He is risen indeed.)

 

Have a Joyous Easter!

O LORD,

Thank You for Your sacrifice

    on the cross

                for our sin.

Help us to live

           forgiven, released and redeemed.

Empower us with Your strength

  to love others as You have loved us.

And to practice forgiveness, renewal

          and grace

as we should.

   You are our living Savior. 

 

            

No Part-time Employment

 

And you shall rejoice

   before the LORD your God

in all that you undertake.

          Deuteronomy 12. 18

(All in ancient Hebrew means

       exactly that: 

                            all.

No exceptions. No exclusions.

        Not even part-time.

May we find new ways to approach,

     navigate and serve the LORD

     with our work,

                  even in this situation.

We are all in full-time ministry.

When we rejoice,

   not just in the stuff we like,

   or enjoy, or good at,

it nurtures the rock-hard soil

        beneath our feet

   into sacred ground.

Rejoicing in the LORD does that.

Deeper than

     having a good attitude,

but bringing 

        an unexpected brightness

   to a dark or foggy environment.

How can we be glad, flourish,

    and undertake our work

    with a different countenance,

    expression,

       and a new heart?)

O LORD,

Please show us how to

   honor You in our work,

to lean on You

        when it's really hard

  and bring Your majesty there.

No work is a waste of time,

   but an opportunity to serve You.

And to love others

      right into Your arms.

Enlarge Your vision in us

   to see that nothing is mundane,

but every detail

            --and our heartset--

bring You glory

    even in really unexpected places.

To do that, we need Your courage, vision

    and Your incredible

              creative touch.

We can't do it alone.

Help us to surprise others

            by Your joy in us.

And amaze us as well.

      

When Steam Comes Out of Our Ears

 

And I prayed for Aaron

also at the same time.

           Deuteronomy 9. 20

(Moses was mad.

He was furious,

  horrified by what Aaron

  had done in his absence.

Everything was at stake.

But Moses' first response

  was not to condemn,

  or take revenge against him,

  disown him, walk away,

  or seek his suffering

       --what he deserved--

but to pray for Aaron's good,

    well-being and forgiveness.

Why is it so hard

        to pray for those

        who have done us wrong?

Or to cover offences with grace

              and not turn away?

Because forgiveness

       profoundly changes history,

  the course of the entire world,

and seeks to preserve relationships

           above any misdeed,

           intentional or not.

May we keep the relationship first

       by praying for them.)

O LORD,

You know that

   we need forgiveness.

That is why You sent

        Jesus for us.

As You have forgiven us

    once for all,

grant us the strength,

   compassion and grace

           to forgive others.

   Even in this situation.

Please help us

   not to just be mindful

   of the relationship

but to use forgiveness

           to nurture it.

Even when we're hurt,

empower us to

   live faithfully,

   love well,

and practice grace in this.

You are over

             everything.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Courage is Trusting Him Anyway

You shall not be in dread of them,

for the LORD your God

        is in your midst,

a great and awesome God.

             Deuteronomy 7. 21

(There will always be something

        to be afraid of.

But there is always God

        to trust in.

What we choose 

dictates how we go forth,

  how we view possibilities,

  how we approach and

    navigate difficulties differently.

How many countless times in Scripture

    God reminds us over and over?

"Do not be afraid.

            I am with you."

When we trust Him,

  the journey is not the same,

  nor the outcome.

God answers with His strength,

   courage and blessings we cannot

              yet conceive.

He is the LORD our God.)

O LORD,

We come to You with our joys.

We come to You

  with our overwhelming fears.

Please make us aware

            of Your Presence with us

and that You walk with us

   in impossible situations,

   unexpected places,

   and among unlikely people.

Help us to trust You in this.

Even in this.

Everyday is a

    story of Your faithfulness.

Even when we cannot yet

      see how You unfold

      Your grand narrative.

Be glorified in us, we pray.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

First Person Possessive

 

Hear, O Israel:

The LORD our God,

the LORD is One.

You shall love the LORD your God

with all your heart

and with all your soul

and with all your might.

           Deuteronomy 6. 4

(This verse comprises

what the Jewish people

       call Shema,

  even to this day.

It serves as a centerpiece

of morning and evening prayers,

   a twice-daily recitation.

Also as their last words

  before going to sleep at night.

This prayer is not to remind God

    of who He is,

but that we may know

                and never forget

  that He is God alone.

He is not a god among others,

             but our LORD,

      first person possessive.

And that changes everything

         about us.)

 

O LORD,

May you not be important,

nor prominent,

but preeminent in our lives

      and in what we love.

Please help us today

to love you with all our heart,

   mind, soul, and might

   in all things we encounter.

You are God.

You are our God.

Empower us to be mindful

   and live that way

          in all we do and say.

Be, Almighty One,

   the centerpiece in our

           being and doing,

the passion of our hearts.

Unexpected Places and Unlikely People

 

...even among the rebellious,

that the LORD God

            may dwell there.

              Psalm 68. 18

(Even here,

even in this tough situation,

even among the resistant,

our calling is to bring

   the love, grace

         and name of Jesus there,

to be faithful in this desert

    and unexpected places,

and a witness to others,

whether they seem to ignore

          us or not.

Others are watching and listening

  whether or not we are aware.

Someone's life is on the line.

Someone is about to be changed.)

O LORD,

Help us to be the faithful ones,

    even among the rebellious,

even where there is pushback.

Empower us to love them

                     anyway.

You have strategically placed us

       for Your glory

and for the welfare of many.

Whether we see fruit

   or just a continuing desert,

You are at work,

       changing the landscape

  and drawing others to You.

Grant to us

   the courage to love them

   right to You.

Our Really Long Road Trip

 

For the LORD your God

has blessed you

in all the work of your hands.

He knows your going through

   this great wilderness.

These forty years

   the LORD your God

   has been with you.

You have lacked nothing.

               Deuteronomy 2. 7

(Stay tuned. 

        We have seen nothing yet.

God does not just know what

   we are going through.

He is preparing, equipping,

  and nurturing His strength in us,

blessing our work,

and weaving His significance

  in what only appears as mundane.

He is with us

         through thick and thin,

    in what we recognize as profound,

    in our every days,

and in what we don't yet understand.

Trust Me in this.)

O LORD,

Thank You for Your goodness to us,

even in what we don't recognize yet.

You are walking with us,

   strengthening us every step.

For as long as we can remember,

     You have provided

     just what we need,

even in ways we can't understand.

We see a wilderness here.

    You see the wonders.

You are doing such a mighty work

    in us, through us, all around us,

that we don't even have a clue,

the evidence of Your Presence

  that reverberates for generations.

Even Among Fire-breathing Dragons

See, the LORD your God

has set the land before you.

Go up,

take possession,

as the LORD, the God of your fathers,

            has told you.

Do not fear

        or be dismayed.

                  Deuteronomy 1. 21

(God, You want me to go where,

       stay in place, or do what?

How does God reply?

  Do not fear or be dismayed.

Because trusting God

  will always take us

by a different route.

Fear and dismay promise everything

      but lead us right over a cliff,

   deflate all our tires,

   and abandon us on the side of the road.

Trusting God means a different journey,

    different trajectory,

    and a way different outcome.

There still may be

    opposition or adversaries

    or fire-breathing dragons there,

but we navigate in new ways

      because we trust Him.

God gives us His courage,

     His strength, His shield,

     and His presence along the way.

As one of our girls once told me,

"I wouldn't have been afraid

             if I knew you were here."

He guides us through

        for His glory, even in this.

What has He set before us today

    to follow Him into?

Even right where we are.)

O LORD,

You redeem the hard places

  to bring us into

        a closer relationship with You.

You guide us to new understandings

             of Your steadfast love.

Help us to see this barren land,

   this uncultivated rock hard ground,

as an opportunity

        to bring the name of Jesus here.

When we trust You,

    fear and dismay have

    no power over us.

May Your Presence bear fruit

     in our lives

     and for all those who follow.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Twice a Day Without Fail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You make the going out of the morning

and the evening

             to shout for joy.

                     Psalm 65. 8

(Twice a day

     God reminds us of His Presence

     and sovereignty,

            just in case we forget.

He establishes the bookends

         of our days:

"I am with you

            going into the day.

 Still with you

            as the light fades."

He appointed that joy

so precisely from

          the beginning of time,

that we can know His revealing

   to the very minute,

   like clockwork,

           Imagine that.

Even when we miss it,

   or oblivious to the lightshow,

or when it is covered by clouds,

God reveals Himself

     unmistakably with beauty,

woven inextricably in our day.

Our awe is a call to worship.

Our response is

     walk with Him into it.)

O LORD,

You remind us continually

   that You are here with us.

May we follow You

   right into this day,

knowing that You are God.

You see us.

You hear us.

You always respond.

The sunrise and sunset

   are visible reminders

of Your immense grace

          over us.

May we worship You

  in all that we do today,

reflecting Your joy,

   even in hard places.

May the sunrise

   remind us to follow You.

May the sunset assure us

   that You are unfolding

   wonders beyond words.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

The Fish That Didn't Get Away

 

And when He had finished speaking,

    He said to Simon,

"Put out into the deep

               and let down your nets

               for a catch."

And Simon answered,

"Master, we toiled all night

             and took nothing!

But at Your word,

   I will let down the nets.

And when they had done this,

they enclosed a large number of fish,

        and their nets were breaking.

                     Luke 5. 4-6

(A significant difference is manifested

   between what we do on our own

   and what we do guided by God

           and fueled by His strength.

God brings His profound increase

   to our obedience to Him,

far deeper in the water

              than we can see,

   even beyond our imagination.

In what am I willing to respond

        to God's leading today

    even before we see

               a plausible outcome?

But at His word --

  means not that we give God

            a second chance to act,

but God gives us

   another opportunity to trust Him.

The astonishing part is

 not a record number of fish,

not a matter of so-called "success,"

       but trusting Him.

God has a lot bigger fish

           in this situation we're in.

And He starts with our hearts.)

O LORD,

Please help us

   to be willing to follow You

   into this day,

whether resulting in a net full of fish

            or none at all.

You are over everything.

We can trust You

  even in what we cannot see.

Please strengthen us

  to faithfully row with You,

        put out into the deep,

and cast our nets daily

   in so many dimensions.

Guide us into Your day for us.

Guide us to You.

The Lion Under My Bed

 

...my mouth will praise You

            with joyful lips,

when I remember You

             upon my bed,

and meditate on You

   in the watches of the night,

for You have been my help,

and in the shadow of Your wings

       I will sing for joy.

My soul clings to You;

Your right hand upholds me.

                  Psalm 63. 5-8

(The psalms are not just

             a sweet little book of poetry,

    but real life cries in the night.

This psalm of David was written

         and sung outloud

when he was overwhelmed

    by deep trouble

    and hiding in the wilderness.

But because David walked with God

         in green pastures,

he knew how to cling to Him

    in the miry bogs

             and enemy territory.

When we awake and cannot sleep,

         what is our default?

Worry, anxiety and stress?

Or retaliating with praise, prayer

   and meditating on the Almighty?

He has been our help.

He is still our help.

The lion we fear under our bed

     will not consume us.

Because the lion under our bed

   is the Lion of Judah we trust,

   who protects us forevermore.)

O LORD,

Help us to respond to fear

   with a chronicle of

            Your faithfulness,

with Your promises,

         and Your Presence.

You sing mightily over us,

    "Be not afraid.

     I am with you."

Please empower us,

  even in the shadows of the night,

to take You at Your Word.

You are our strength

   in whom we can trust.

Just Another Opportunity in Disguise

 

....you shall have a

       holy convocation.

You should not do

       ordinary work.

              Numbers 29. 1

(Worship is not just important

           to God.

  It is vital to us.

This phrase is repeated 7 times

    in just over a chapter.

Worship requires

         doing something different,

     out of the ordinary,

     a time set apart

and recognized as

            coming before God.

To do no ordinary work

    requires preparing to worship.

          It doesn't just happen.

Worship is not just

     something else we have to do,

        but we get to do.

               Worship changes us.

We cannot help but be changed

    when we meet with God.

Worship is anything but ordinary

  and infiltrates everything we do.)

O LORD,

Everyone worships something.

May we worship You alone.

You are our God,

    our strength, our solid ground.

May our time with You

  not just in the morning,

  but throughout the day,

         draw us closer to You.

Help us to see this day,

   every element in it,

   every task,

   even every speed bump,

as an opportunity

     to become more like You

and bring glory to You.

The Art of Planting an Orchard

 

Bear fruits

in keeping with repentance.

                Luke 3. 8

(Being repentant

   and accepting God's forgiveness

frees us up to live

         and love differently.

Bearing fruit is not just

       something that happens.

It means to do, make ready,

        and produce--

   all action verbs,

   all intentional actions.

What can we do in this barren land

       or mine field?

Love others right to Jesus,

   just as we have been loved.

A repentant person can see others

   with a new heart and mind,

   because Jesus has changed us.

Can others see

           that difference in us?

Not just that we are "nice" people,

     but forgiven and act that way?

Instead of selfishness,

    we are able to be kind

--which gets all over everyone.

We can't change others

                or circumstances,

but we can radically change

         how we respond.

What fruit can we bring here?)

O LORD,

We come before You,

   knowing we have done wrong.

Thank You that Your forgiveness

   already covers us.

Help us to live differently

      into this day before us,

not just getting through,

    slogging through the mud,

but planting an orchard,

  one act of grace at a time.

We may never witness

   the fruit You bear,

but we are assured that Your Word

     never returns void

and You are using us

            for Your glory.