Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Nothing Too Little, Never Too Big

 

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Morning, Evening, and Every Moment Inbetween

 

Monday, April 28, 2025

Victory With Empty Jars

 

Sunday, April 27, 2025

His Way in Impossible Places

 

Saturday, April 26, 2025

But Then.....

 

Friday, April 25, 2025

No Degree of Separation

 

Do this
in remembrance of Me.

           Luke 22. 19

(How do we approach
   whatever selfless opportunity
God places before us today?
As hard as it may seem,
even in what joy
           it may bring,
"Would you do this for Me?"
No degree of separation.
     It's all worship.
Even in this.)

O LORD,
Help us to see the needs
      around us
as opportunities
     to serve You
and allow Your glory
to pour over it.
Empower us to worship You
    in whatever we do.
Not just serving others
    or serving You,
but worshiping You.
No exclusions.
Not just an attitude change,
    but awareness
    of Your Presence.


Thursday, April 24, 2025

Ready for Anything

 

Let the favor of the LORD our God
          be upon us,
and establish the work
   of our hands upon us;
yes,
  establish the work of our hands.

                Psalm 90. 17

(In the Hebrew, establish means
to set up, confirm and maintain.
God completes our work
    and gives it meaning.
His goodness causes it
             to endure,
perhaps beyond our vision
         or our lifetimes.
Every good endeavor matters
   more than we can know,
appointed and anointed
        by the Almighty
        for His Kingdom.
God pours His favor
  over our divine appointments
          and sacred encounters,
even work not recognized
                 or affirmed,
but prepared and ready for anything,
     any way God uses it.)

O LORD,
We lay our work before You
  even as we are doing it,
that You would be glorified
        by what we do
        and what You do with it.
We have but to be faithful
              to You.
And to know the joy
     of serving You
                   in all things.

       

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Not If, But When

 

And when they cried
        to the LORD....

         Joshua 24. 7

(Not if,
          but when.
That is the point
    of radical change,
coming before the LORD,
not telling Him what to do,
but admitting our need for God.
We all struggle
        with so many things.
No waivers there.
We live in a broken world.
It is not that we are
    waiting on God to act.
God is waiting on us
  to invite Him to intervene.
"Not my will or way,
            but Yours be done."
The biggest blockade may be
    sidestepping our pride
    or favorite despair,
and letting God enter in,
not just the situation,
           but our hearts.)

O LORD,
We grumble. We gripe.
We complain incessantly.
We even cry out.
We pray but not to You.
May we not just come to You,
but walk with You
through the miry bogs,
the deep dark forests,
and into the unknown
  --which is not unknown to You.
Because when we pray,
when we call out to You,
You make us aware,
not to another way through,
not to an answer in neon lights,
     but to Your Presence.
Even in this situation today.


 

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Well-Oiled Hinges

 

...but a faithful envoy
         brings healing.

         Proverbs 13. 17

(Envoy means messenger.
But the word in Hebrew
also means
       hinge of a door.
Because healing opens doors
      we never expect.
Healing is a hinge
  on which things change.
What are we bringing
         to this situation?
Are we approaching it
   with healing in mind
   or ammunition stored up?
Be faithful,
bring healing,
nurture well being,
even in ordinary places.
Even in ways
     no one sees coming.)

O LORD,
Help us to approach
and navigate with healing
    in mind and in hand,
Make us aware of
       our words and actions,
even our attitudes
   that infiltrate everything.
Help us to know that
   well-being impacts all,
                  even us.
Show us how specifically
   to bring healing to this
with Your glory imprinted 
                            upon it.
Please help us to
  keep our hinges well-oiled.

Monday, April 21, 2025

Even The Snacks Along The Way

 

Sunday, April 20, 2025

Seven Words That Change Everything

 

Saturday, April 19, 2025

And He Did

 

Friday, April 18, 2025

And Never Lose Heart

 

And He told them a parable
to the effect that
they ought always to pray
and not lose heart.

            Luke 18. 1

(Never stop coming
             before Jesus.
Never stop praying.
God always responds
   in one way or a million.
And not always
       as we expect.
Trust in the slow work of God.
And even when it appears
         the long way around.
It's not about answers
                 after all.
Praying may or may not
  change our circumstances,
but alters how we see
the situation, others,
    even God Himself.
In the process of praying,
  God changes our hearts.
That may be
   the biggest miracle of all.
And then we are where
  we can see His wonders.)
          
O LORD,
Help us to realize that praying
is not wishing for,
nor getting what,
but all about
  our relationship with You.
Align our hearts
        with Yours.
Sometimes we don't even
   have the words,
but You hear our hearts.
Empower us to pray
                 even then,
and never lose heart.
 

Thursday, April 17, 2025

From Strength to Strength

 

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Never Asking Directions

 

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Going Around In Circles

 

Monday, April 14, 2025

The Art of Not Missing Out

 

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Can't Count That High

 

But we Your people,
the sheep of Your pasture,
will give thanks to You forever.
From generation
           to generation,
we will recount Your praise.

              Psalm 79. 13

(What marks our conversations?
Do our children,
grandchildren, neighbors,
co-workers hear 
and overhear praise 
    and gratefulness to God?
Or complaining and grumbling
    about circumstances?
Our words are marked
     by what we worship.
Our witness is shaped
        by what we say.)

O LORD,
Change our vocabulary
   that our gratefulness to You
is deeply engraved and passed on
from generation to generation.
Help us to
       count and recount
Your goodness, steadfast love,
    and Your wonders.
Let those words be remembered
    and resound for lifetimes to come.
May praise to You
  change the course of our lives,
in how we live
      and by how we respond to You.


Saturday, April 12, 2025

Those Who Watch Us

 

One who is righteous
is a guide to his neighbor...

         Proverbs 12. 26

(Through whatever we walk through,
God is forming something new
         in us.
We are not changed by our circumstances,
           but by Him.
Yet our response also
   affects all those around us.
People are continually
watching us,
not to see if we are perfect,
    if we succeed or fail,
but how we respond
    when life is difficult.
Others want to see
          if God is real.
And to see if He makes
  a difference in us.
Yes, there is another path
    through this situation.
And a strength
          that is not ours.)

O LORD,
Help us not just to be aware
   of those around us,
but how to point them to You,
in words and deeds,
   attitudes and grace.
Empower us to live out
the reality of Your Presence
and to reveal life is different
      when we walk with You.
Please redeem our mistakes,
our wrongdoings,
our deafness to Your voice,
that we may know You more
   and guide those on our path
   to You.

Friday, April 11, 2025

Whatever, Wherever, and Among Whomever

This Book of the Law shall not
depart from your mouth,
but you shall meditate on it
       day and night,
so that you may be careful
to do according to
    all that is written in it.
For then 
you will make your way
               prosperous,
and then
you will have good success.
Have I not commanded you?
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. 8-9

(This is the commandment
 we all too often forget
that flavors everything we face:
       Do not be afraid.
       I am with you.
How important is God's Word
     in our lives?
When we read and absorb it daily,
it does not change circumstances,
but through it, God changes us,
how we face difficulties
and how we traverse
   what is before us.
God changes our journey through
and how we view that wilderness
     --with fear or trusting Him.
The choice boils down to
            our strength or His.
The key word here is wherever.
God brings us through.)

O LORD,
Only You know what
   we are going through.
And for that You have
       given us Your Word
and Your promise
  that You are with us.
May Your scripture
daily infiltrate everything
we face today
   and how we respond.
Help us to not miss
   the view or Your strength
along the way,
        walking with You.

 

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Strength Training Program

 

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Ready, Willing and Faithful

 

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Because We Don't Have To Be Afraid

 

Monday, April 7, 2025

Peace In Unlikely Places

 

Sunday, April 6, 2025

Enlarging My Vocabulary

 

There is one
whose rash words are
like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise
        brings healing.

             Proverbs 12. 18

(What is the intent
        of my words,
  and what is the effect?
The wise choose carefully,
because they know.
words are final sale
      and not returnable.
What am I bringing
     to this conversation?
Bring healing to it.
Kind words
      are never forgotten.)

O LORD,
Enlarge our vocabulary
     and our hearts
to turn conversations around
    in unexpected situations,
    among unlikely people,
and bring Your
steadfast love, grace
and goodness
     that changes lives.
And surprise everyone.




Saturday, April 5, 2025

Our Comings and Goings

 

Now as they went on their way,
Jesus entered a village.
And a woman named Martha
welcomed Him into her house.
 
                 Luke 10. 38


(Martha had no idea how
this simple invitation
and kindness
would literally change
  the course of her days
and even her brother's life
     would hinge on it.
When we invite Jesus
into whatever is before us,
or what we struggle with,
or even our everydayness,
   He changes everything
   in our comings and goings.
Jesus grants us awareness
    of the needs around us.
And He bestows
      strength and courage
to be a faithful witness
even in unusual places.)

O LORD,
Help us to live out
the love You have given us
by loving others,
those we know
and those we don't know yet.
Help us to realize
that You have placed them
on our path,
along our ways,
on our front porch,
or the next cubicle
            at work.
May we extend warmth
    and kindness
with Your name on it.
Divine appointments,
sacred encounters,


  

Friday, April 4, 2025

Face Lift

 

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Saying No Means Saying Yes

 

But as for you,
the LORD your God
has not allowed you
            to do this.

      Deuteronomy 18. 14

(Don't go there.
When God says no,
   He means exactly that.
There are profound
      and intensely personal
      reasons for it.
God knows what enslaves us.
God knows what trips us up
       and rips us apart.
But as for you.....
         Not for me.
Choosing to be faithful to God,
  by saying no to something,
means having the opportunity,
    awareness, strength and heart
                       to say yes
  to something eternally better.
We can justify just about anything
   or choose to follow God in this.
And what we opt to do
  directly influences generations
  after us.
 Faithfulness sticks.)

O LORD,
Grant us the strength and courage
to turn away from anything
that pulls us away from You.
Help us not to play with fire,
  wade into the rip-tide,
  or gaze at the greenness
     on the other side of the fence.
But empower us to be energized
   by faithfulness to You.
And be greatly aware and amazed
   by what You urge us to pursue.

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Don't Calculate Without Him

 

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

But What If We Don't?