All Over Everything

 

...that in everything

He might be pre-eminent.

                Colossians 1. 18

What does Jesus have to do

      with what we're facing?

Not just a part of,

nor an important piece,

nor a prominent position,

      but pre-eminent.

Not even scooting things over

to make Him first place in our lives,

    but Jesus over everything.

Even in this. All in all.  No exclusions.

And that determines not if,

          but how we approach,

   respond and navigate

every encounter or situation

                  differently.

O LORD,

Grant us Your courage

   to go forth,

knowing that You are over all.

Nudge us to realize that

   everything means everything.

We do not walk alone.

We do not have to figure it out.

     Just walk with You all over.

You are not just a priority

   but saturate our very lives.

Endure Or Be Secure

 

For I have learned

  in whatever state I am

  to be content.

I know how to be brought low,

and I know how to abound.

In any and every circumstance,

I have learned the secret

   of facing plenty and hunger,

   abundance and need.

I can do all things 

through Him 

       who strengthens me.

              Philippians 4. 11-13

In whatever situation

   or circumstances,

what matters is not

     our state of affairs,

     but our state of mind.

When we turn to Jesus,

  we learn not to despair,

  nor to tough it out,

but trust Him 

    for His strength in this.

To be content means neither passive

   nor complacent,

not just to endure,

           but to be secure 

and walk with Him through.

O LORD,

Help us to know that 

  Your well-being for us

is not dependent on

    clear skies

    and a paved road,

but Your Presence with us.

No matter where You lead,

   no matter if we understand,

learning that we can be content

and secure in You

 is always 

       one of the reasons why

       You have brought us

            to this place.

Be glorified, O LORD,

      today even in this.

 

Recite, Repeat, and Run With Jesus

...to walk in a manner

        worthy of the Lord,

fully pleasing to Him,

bearing fruit in every good work,

and increasing in the

          knowledge of God.

               Colossians 1. 10

This is how we make it through.

This is how God gets us through.

Head, heart, hands, feet,

            and soul.

In everything we do and say,

  may we focus on You,

and work out over and over

  our faithfulness in real time.

Recite, repeat,

     and run with Jesus.

I have prayed this verse 

  for our family

  nearly every day for a long time.

O LORD,

Help us to manifest 

     Your words

and witness to others

        with our very lives.

Grant us Your strength

   and courage and grit

to follow You like that, 

fully pleasing to You

  and bearing fruit

  we may never even see. 

 

The Most Unqualified Of All

But the LORD said to me,

"Do not say

   'I am only a youth,'

for to all to whom I send you,

   you shall go,

and whatever I command you,

   you shall speak.

Do not be afraid of them,

       for I am with you

to deliver you,"

             declares the LORD.

         Jeremiah 1. 7-8

None of us is

     "only a ________."

Because God does not

    see us that way.

But we are God-appointed

 in these positions

 and places for His glory.

Yes, even in this really hard thing.

"I can't do this!" we cry out.

And He responds,

        "Good, because I can."

We have only to be faithful,

not having to be the best,

     but doing our best,

and knowing that

         we don't go alone.

All through the Bible,

God powerfully assigns  

  the most unqualified people

  in extraordinary ways,

that we would know

    it is not in us, but Him.

O LORD,

You have gifted each of us

   in amazing ways,

most of which we are unaware.

Find us faithful, Almighty One,

  in whatever You place

  before us to do and to be.

Help us to know that 

   we are not "only a ____,"

but we are Yours.

We need not be afraid.

Your goodness exceeds

      our imagination

and gets all over everything.

 

 

No Better Place To Be

 

...and be found in Him...

         Philippians 3. 9

This is the bottom line

in whatever we are going through,

wherever we find ourselves,

however we walk,

whatever we pursue,

and what God is forming

      in us through this.

That we would be

      --that we are--

              found in Him

is not an achievement

                 or outcome,

but an ongoing path

      in unexpected ways.

O LORD,

Above all things in this day,

   may we be found in You.

In spite of this difficult situation,

   may we be found in You.

As we make decisions

    what to do, what to say,

    how to respond,

may we be found in You.

May we realize.

May others see.

Help us as we choose

    to be found in You.

No better place to be,

        but in You. 

Of Course, It's Too Heavy

 

But when I thought

   how to understand this,

it seemed to me

        a wearisome task,

until I went into

  the sanctuary of God....

              Psalm 73. 16-17

God's sanctuary is 

    wherever and whenever

                we seek Him.

God never intended

   for us to go it alone

           through this.

We're going to be weary

    until we come to Him.

"Of course, it's too heavy."

When we seek God,

He does not just

      guide us through,

God guides us to Himself.

In what is so heavy

   and wearisome,

God says, "Come to Me.

I will help you.

             Even in this."

O LORD,

Help us to stand 

on the sacred ground

      of Your Presence.

The truth is that

         we really just need You.

May we seek You continually

   wherever You guide us today.

Grant to us not just the rest

    that we need,

but Your strength 

   in the most unexpected ways.

Help us to know that

   You are right here with us.

And we can lean on You.

Aware of Our Surroundings

I want you to know,

brothers and sisters,

that what has 

     happened to me

has really served

 to advance the gospel...

        Philippians 1. 12

Do we view the hard stuff

and difficult seasons

       of our life that way?

God is using us

  in impossible places,

 even among the rebellious, 

to bring the love, grace

and the name of Jesus 

  to this situation

  and in our relationships.

May we remember    

       the gospel here,

always aware

  of our surroundings,

and reaching out to those 

      all around us.

Even here

someone desperately needs 

        to know Him,

maybe even those

   who we would least suspect. 

O LORD,

You cannot change our hearts

without also changing our vision.

Please make us to know

that what we are experiencing

     didn't "just so happen,"

but You have designed this time

is an opportunity

  to love others to You.

Guide us into this day

and fill us with Your grace.

Help us to see this situation

    with gospel eyes.

Empower us with Your courage

   and love to bring You 

into our conversations

     and fueling what we do.