Friday, May 30, 2025

Waste Some Time With God

 

Thursday, May 29, 2025

God Does Not Just Show Up

 

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Divine Appointments and Sacred Encounters

 

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Bringing It To, Bringing Us Through

 

Then King David went in
and sat before the LORD...

       2 Samuel 7. 18

(The secret of David's strength
   is no secret at all.
Coming before the LORD
  was not just a practice,
  but a pattern
that engraved his life.
What do we miss
   or struggle with
because we don't sit a spell
     with the LORD about it?
Perhaps we don't hear
                  from God
because we don't give Him
     a chance to speak.
Not just to think about a problem
  or figure out a solution,
but abiding with God in it,
       about it,
       and through it.
God does not show up.
God shows us.)

O LORD,
Help us to realize
that the most important part
      of this day
is time savoring
            Your Presence.
Empower us to sit with You,
      listen,
be changed by You,
      and go forth.
Align our hearts with Yours.
Grant to us
     a new strength
to honor You
in whatever we do today.


Monday, May 26, 2025

Help! I've Fallen and Can't Get Up

 

I was pushed hard,
so that I was falling,
but the LORD
       helped me.

        Psalm 118. 13

(We live in a broken world.
God does not promise
    that we will not fall,
  but that He is with us.
He reaches out His hand
     to lift us back up
     on our feet.
This hard situation
was not meant
      to tear us down
          or define us,
but to realize His strength,
our own fragility,
and form something
    Christlike in us.
God never meant for us
    to do this life without Him.)

O LORD,
Thank You that when
     we trip and fall
     and fail
     and get hurt,
You are there
         to build us up.
Help us to keep our eyes
           on You,
not derailed by distractions,
    success, failures,
      potholes or sheer cliffs,
  but seeking You in this.
You help us up.
You help us through
  to a different place
  in You.

Sunday, May 25, 2025

Inconvenient, Awkward and Filled with His Power

 

He laid aside
   His outer garments,
and taking a towel,
tied it around His waist.
Then He poured water
    into a basin
and began to wash
the disciples' feet and
wipe them with the towel
that was wrapped
            around Him.

           John 13. 4-5

(Seeking and grasping
 every opportunity to serve
God by serving others,
every effort and endeavor
   significant for His glory.
Even that which is
   inconvenient, uncomfortable
   and not what
       we might choose.
What lingers is
   the aroma of Christ
 and a strong witness
  of healing
   in this broken world.
Selflessness always
            does that.
What do we need
  to lay aside to do this?
Most often,
           our pride.)

O LORD,
Help us to not just
bring along
  a towel and basin
but an attentive heart
  that goes along
  with them.
Use us for Your glory,
not thinking less of ourselves,
but thinking less
        about ourselves
and more about You.




Saturday, May 24, 2025

Even THIS Situation

 

 

After this
David inquired of the LORD,
"Shall I go up into
    any of the cities of Judah?"
And the LORD said to him,
          "Go up."
David said,
"To which shall I go up?"
And He said,
           "To Hebron."

           2 Samuel 2. 1

(There is nothing too small
    or monumental to pray about.
Have I considered
    asking the LORD about
    this situation before me?
How to approach, think about,
   navigate and respond?
Praying is not putting something
          into God's hands.
It is realizing it is
      already in His hands,
and how we need to
     follow Him into it.
God aligns our hearts.
He does not hand out a map
       but guides us through.
God releases our myopic thoughts
    and enlarges our vision
to see past the improbable
    possible, obvious or hidden,
perhaps to what
    He has already placed there.)

O LORD,
We don't know what to do,
nor even what to think,
but we can come before You
      even in this situation.
We get into panic
  when we need to
            get into prayer.
Way too often what trips us up
   is not talking to You
         or listening.
Align our hearts with Yours.
Enlarge our vision.
And reveal Your glory.
Grant us the courage
    to follow You
and You alone.



Friday, May 23, 2025

Right in the Middle of the Story

 

But when Jesus heard it
He said,
"This illness does not
        lead to death.
It is for the glory of God,
so that
the Son of God
may be glorified through it."

              John 11. 4

(Substitute the word illness
with that difficult situation
      we are facing now,
that hard relationship,
those potholes that
   threaten to swallow us,
that failure,
   or utter disappointment.
God is already redeeming
      for His glory.
It is not the end of the story.
What if it is not meant to
tear us down,
but form Christlikeness
     in yet another layer?
God uses this hard thing,
even if we never see
   how His glory breaks in
or our story in it unfolds.)

O LORD,
Help us to trust You in this
and know that
Your steadfast love
      holds us tight.
and has
    no expiration date.
Grant us Your strength
    not just to endure,
but to be a witness
    in unexpected places.


Thursday, May 22, 2025

Be A Rebel

 

...but my hand shall not 
          be against you.

          1 Samuel 24. 12

(Forgiveness does not just
radically change
    the intentions of our hearts,
but it releases us
     to what is new
   and incomprehensible.
Forgiveness seeks
       the wellbeing of others
       instead of revenge,
healing instead of hurt,
kindness instead of criticism,
grace instead of resentment.
Can't do it!  True.
Forgiveness is impossible,
if not for
         Christ in us.)

O LORD,
We come before you
with wounds
bleeding out for a long time.
But You provide
   not just band-aids,
   but the healing balm
that You paid for
         with Your life.
Help us to see
that forgiveness is
   rebellion
   against the brokenness
        of this world.
Renewing.
Redeeming.
Bringing Your light
  to our dark places.
Not by our efforts,
  but by Your grace.
 

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Because God Is In It

 

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet

 

And David said,
"The LORD
who delivered me
from the paw of the lion
and from the paw of the bear
will deliver me from 
the hand of this Philistine."

              1 Samuel 17. 37

(This was not David's
         first rodeo.
God did not just bring him
   through the impossible,
but strengthened him
      through the experience.
It was not that David
    was stronger than he thought,
but realized God is mightier 
than he could ever imagine.
The lion and bear were
   only training exercises
in learning to rely on God.
He ain't seen nothin' yet.
      Nor have we.)

O LORD,
May we not just remember,
but engrave on our hearts,
  thoughts and attitudes,
what You have already
   brought us through.
You are still with us.
We are mindful
         of Your strength
   and Presence
in our struggles
    and our joys.
You give us yet a new story
  of Your faithfulness.
No matter what unfolds,
may You above all
   be glorified in it.


Monday, May 19, 2025

The Fine Art of Paying Attention

 

Sunday, May 18, 2025

God Presses Reset On The Impossible

 

...and I will show you
   what you shall do.

           1 Samuel 16. 3

(Going into the day,
 going into the fray,
     first thing, pray.
God does not just
             show up.
He shows us.
Tie on our shoes,
   pack a lunch,
   and follow Me.
This way.
           Let's go.
We cannot do everything.
But God shows us
           that one thing,
   and then the next.
God pushes reset
           on the impossible.
How to handle this dilemma?
    With His heart in it.
The biggest question
    is whether we respond.)

O LORD,
You have already gone
          before us.
We are the ones
   who need to show up.
We have only to be faithful
   in following You into it.
What is unknown to us
    is not unknown to You.
May we be filled with
     the strength and wisdom
     that comes from trusting You.



Saturday, May 17, 2025

But Always By Him

 

It may be that the LORD
will work for us,
for nothing can
   hinder the LORD
from saving by many
        or by few.

          1 Samuel 14. 6

(Praying always prevails
        over the odds.
What if we pray?
      What if we don't?
When we seek Him
   --and not just
     a plastic-wrapped answer--
God brings us through
an unseen way,
   a hidden passage,
through the familiar
    or the impossible.
God empowers us to see
this situation differently
      even in unlikely places.
By many or by few,
   but always by Him.)

O LORD,
Forgive us for not
       coming sooner
before our fears and burdens
  super-sized into 
        what is overwhelming.
You overcome
       what overwhelms us.
You may or may not swoop down
         to deliver us from,
but You deliver us through
           by Your strength
    and for Your purposes.
This struggle may not be
           about ourselves,
but for the salvation of others.
Nothing can hinder
            Your ways in this.
Help us to trust You in it
   for well-being
  and for Your glory.

Friday, May 16, 2025

By Divine Appointment

 

Thursday, May 15, 2025

How To Train Your Dragon

 

Rule in the midst of your foes.

             Psalm 110. 2

(We all have fire-breathing dragons,
fearful mythical creatures
        both real and imagined,
fierce and overbearing people
  or situations in our lives
that threaten to take us down.
But we need not shudder
                 before them.
How do we train these dragons?
What do we do with them?
Live differently among them.
Love radically.
Take them by surprise.
Be a witness there.
Give grace the space
         to enter in.)

O LORD,
Help us not to cower in fear,
   but stand with Your courage
             and a fresh heart.
Turn on Your light
   to melt away the shadows.
Empower us to faithfully stand
    even in our scary places.
Because You are with us.
                          Always.
We walk among dragons
      to bring Your name here.
And that changes everything,
     both them and us.

 

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

God's Higher Mathematics

 

With God
we shall do valiantly.
It is He who will
   tread down our foes.

           Psalm 108. 13

(This was not
    David's first rodeo,
nor his first desperation.
He knew he could not
       go it alone
in whatever the fear,
both real and imagined.
With God
    completely changes
    the equation.
Valiantly in the Hebrew
   does not mean
   an instant effortless win,
but acting with strength
     as with an army.
We are not alone.
And with God
      in any capacity,
surprising things happen.)

O LORD,
We rely on You,
          Almighty One.
Not in our control.
Not in our skill set.
But with all our strength
   coming from You,
all our strength
    abiding in You.
O God,
we ask You to enter in
           this situation.
And You reply,
      "Already here."
Help us to be aware of You.
The variables may remain
                 the same,
but You change the equation.
It is not about an answer
        or solution
        or victory in our eyes,
but all about Your glory.


 

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

A Much Larger 24 Hours

 

Monday, May 12, 2025

Unexpected Courage In Unlikely Places

 

Sunday, May 11, 2025

But One Thing We Can Know

 

But He said to them,
"It is I.
 Do not be afraid."

         John 6. 20

(We are not in this alone.
Nor is it something random,
      or a wrong turn,
      or a dead end.
How would we approach this
    differently if we knew
    God is in this?
God does not work in
     mysterious ways,
but in steadfast love
          and goodness,
even when we don't understand.
But one thing we can know:
   Trust Me in this.)

O LORD,
We tread in the familiar
    and the unknown.
Help us to not just know
    You are with us,
but that You are bringing
    Your glory
    and deep purposes
to what we only see
    as circumstances.
We do not know
       what to do,
but we can turn our eyes
        upon You.
This may be the ride of our lives
  or what looks like
  any ordinary day,
but You are still with us.
And that makes
     all the difference.


Saturday, May 10, 2025

Not Lost In Translation

 

For those who honor Me,
I will honor.

            1 Samuel 2. 30

(This is not a conditional
if/then statement,
       but a lingering promise.
When we honor God,
   something always happens.
As we go into this day,
whether in achievement or defeat,
whether blue skies or storms,
may we carry His name here,
invite the weighty imprint
    of His Presence,
pursue His honor
and not our own arrogance.
Selfless acts and
    God-honoring choices
speak a foreign language
       in our society,
but His glory
     is not lost in translation.)

O LORD,
May we honor You
in whatever we do today.
Please reveal to us
  what that looks like
         in real time.
Refresh our hearts
   that we would join You
in the outworkings
  and redeeming
         of our circumstances.
Help us to know how to respond
   with Your steadfast love.
And write Your holy Name
   all over this situation.
  


Friday, May 9, 2025

Can't Touch Bottom and Way Over My Head

 

He rebuked the Red Sea,
and it became dry,
and He led them
through the deep
as through a desert.

       Psalm 106. 9

(Never deny His glory.
Never explain Him away.
No, we couldn't have
   done this at all
   without Him.
If it were not difficult
       or impossible,
would we even turn to God
  or acknowledge His hand?
What is my Red Sea
   right now in front of me?
God brings us through
   to His great goodness,
even in what we can't
       quite see yet.
Something out of our view,
     but not out of His sight.
And it just may be
what someone else needs
        to witness.)

O LORD,
We all struggle with something,
    deep and stormy,
and we don't just forget how to swim.
  We forget to follow You into it.
We ask You today,
not to remove the hard stuff,
    but strengthen us in it.
Reveal Yourself to us
   in what we experience.
Saturate Your glory
   all the way through.
Help us to be faithful
  to take a step into the deep.
You made a way through
     the Red Sea.
You guide us through our own.




Thursday, May 8, 2025

Rocky Road Is Not Just An Ice Cream Flavor

 

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

What It Comes Down To

 

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Put It On, First Thing

 

Monday, May 5, 2025

Bringing About the Impossible

 

When You send forth Your Spirit,
they are created,
and You renew
       the face of the ground.
               
             Psalm 104. 30

(The Holy Spirit hovers over
what appears only to us
    as barren, rock-hard
    and impossible.
His Spirit infiltrates,
bringing about something
      new and unexpected
to sprout, to come forth
                  and flourish.
God has positioned us
to sow, nurture,
      and faithfully tend
this patch of ground
    and multiply here.
God brings about His fruit.
More than we can know.)

O LORD,
Renew the face of this ground.
May Your Holy Spirit
       hover and cover
this little patch of earth,
whatever it may be,
however difficult and arid,
   wherever we are today.
Change the shape
       of the landscape
       as only You can do.
May we bless others
through all we do and say,
    in how we respond,
    by how we love them,
---those we know
  and those we don't know yet.
May Your Presence
in this unlikely spot
            be compelling
   and evident.
             

 

Sunday, May 4, 2025

All The Way To The Top

 

Jesus said to the servants,
"Fill the jars with water."
And they filled them up
         to the brim.

          John 2. 7

(We have no clue
    what God does
when we respond to Him,
when we fully follow,
even when it might not
    make sense at the time.
We have only to
       be faithful.
God completes it.
And He brings His glory
            to it,
often in ways we do not
       recognize.
Fill the jars He gives us.
    All the way to the top.)

O LORD,
We need not know
what You have
          up Your sleeve,
for us to respond fully.
Help us to not just
   be aware of need,
but serve You
   with a generous heart.
May You be honored
      in this day
in whatever You place
      before us.


 

Saturday, May 3, 2025

And Then The New Begins To Grow

 

Friday, May 2, 2025

Way Beyond Our Own Reach

 

...and offered it on the rock
      to the LORD,
to the One
   who works wonders...

            Judges 13. 19

(Wonders in the ancient Hebrew
means that which is hard,
hidden, too high, and
way beyond our own reach.
And that is what the Almighty
    specializes in.
The Holy Spirit hovers over
whatever we encounter,
whatever we offer to Him,
whatever we have to give,
and He does something
   we could not do
   on our own.
God reveals Himself
in the familiar and ordinary,
the unexpected, extraordinary
        and even strange to us,
no degree of separation,
but with His name and glory
   written all over it.
Wonders abide even in what
    we don't understand
or could ever hope for.)

O LORD,
Thank You for Your wonders
past, present and future,
   all woven together.
Thank You for working
   what is way beyond us.
We offer what we do to You,
   knowing You complete it.
You bring the fruit to it.
You cover it with Your glory.
You work wonderfully--
      full of wonder.
Help us to trust You in it.


Thursday, May 1, 2025

This Little Light of His

 

...but came to bear witness
        about the light.

            John 1. 8

(What in the world
      am I doing here?
No wrong turn after all.
But our daily commission
    is to bear witness to God
in whatever we do,
whatever we say,
among whomever,
wherever we are,
how we respond,
and any which way we can
      to point others to God.
What does that look like
          right here,
          right now?)

O LORD,
Help us to approach this day,
    this difficult assignment,
    this awkward situation,
    this messy relationship,
with Your supernatural strength          
   to bear witness to You
        and to bring You glory
in unexpected places
   and creative ways.
May Your light in us
  draw others to You.
It is not in us,
   but Your love
   and grace shining forth.