The Lord of Breaking Through

 

And David said,

"God has broken through

my enemies by my hand,

like a bursting flood."

Therefore the name 

of this place is called

       Baal-perazim. 

       1 Chronicles 14. 11

Baal-perazim literally means

   the Lord of breaking through.

God does not just

    bring us through.

He does not only

    carry us through.

God intervenes.

He breaks through our fears,

   both real and imagined.

God brings about

      something new,

when we allow ourselves

         to be led

not by circumstances,

     but by Him.

O LORD,

We are so easily overwhelmed

   by all the noise around us,

by distractions

   in all shapes and sizes,

and when we think

     we are alone in this.

Break through 

    these circumstances,

               Almighty One,

for Your glory.

Help us to realize

            Your Presence

and respond to You.

Not to make all our problems

   disappear,

but in Your kindness

      lead us to You.

We cannot hold back,

nor control the circumstances,

  but You impossibly provide

              a way through.

         Even in this.

Seep into this rock hard situation

   that we would not miss You,

nor think that it is our own power

       that delivers us.

You hold us by the hand

           all the way through

           to Your wonders.

We are not stuck after all.

How To Kindle A Fire

 

The native people showed us

         unusual kindness,

for they kindled a fire

and welcomed us all,

because it had begun

    to rain and was cold.

           Acts 28. 2 

Kindle a fire

   in some way today

to fill the brokenness

  in lives all around us.

It cannot be contained,

    nor ever forgotten.

Ignite the gospel

   in tangible ways.

Let the love of Jesus

     heal wounds,

even those carefully disguised.

We are all desperate 

  to feel accepted,

valued and supported.

No exceptions.

May we never underestimate

  the immense power

  of unexpected kindness

toward strangers,

   friends and

            even family,

unexpected because

   a true kindness is never earned.

And we witness

  so little of it in this world.

O LORD,

We don't know what to do

   and how to respond,

but when our eyes are on You,

we see this situation

             and others differently.

We know a new way through

    with a fresh heart.

Help us to do the kind thing.

Help us to do it

   even when it is hard,

even when our pride

      tries to stop us.

Strengthen us through the grace

   which You have given us

   and forgiven us.

Help us to kindle kindness

  in unlikely places,

no matter if we ever

          see the outcome.

Because You do.

No Small Decisions

 

He did not seek guidance

     from the LORD.

          1 Chronicles 10. 14

Our lives are built in layers

   upon the daily choices

   that we make.

There are no small decisions.

Each step,

each choice radically impacts

  not just the course of our days,

  but the trajectory of our lives.

And gets all over

     everyone else

    --for good or for despair.

It is not just what we are doing,

but what are we 

            practicing?

Pray, listen and respond

  not to circumstances,

  or our own desires,

but coming before God,

  seeking not only His guidance,

     but seeking Him,

listening for His voice

    in this loud world,

and following Him.

God carries us through.

God gives us 

       His Word on that.

O LORD,

Doing noble things 

           is difficult.

Choosing to follow You

  requires Your strength.

Help us to be attentive

  not only to Your way,

but to You.

May we inquire,

apply ourselves,

practice the art of breathing

    in Your Spirit,

treading with You,

choosing You,

and walking in Your light.

May Your Presence

     surround us on every side.

And God Makes It Enough

 

...mighty warriors

   of their generations....

         1 Chronicles 7. 2

God calls us to be the same,

bearers of His name

    in the familiar and strange,

prayer warriors,

carriers of grace,

providers of forgiveness

    where it is unknown,

carriers of fruit

   in times of famine,

bringing strong love under siege,

showing mercy to others

    who struggle with despair,

pursuing peace,

willing to do what is right,

ready to do something,

claiming and proclaiming

  God's Presence among us,

and having done all,

  to stand in His strength.

Sometimes that is all

    we can do.

And God makes it enough.

O LORD,

We have no strength and might

       without You.

Grant to us the courage

   to go forth among others

for the sake of Your name

   in this time and place

and for the well-being

   of this generation.

Find us faithful, O God,

no matter where we are,

no matter in what situation

   You have placed us today.

 

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Battle Cry

 

...for they cried out to God

          in the battle,

and He granted 

   their urgent plea

because

    they trusted in Him.

     1 Chronicles 5. 20

Trust Me in this

is the turning point 

     in any situation.

God guides,

God provides,

God directs and redirects,

God brings us through,

   not just somehow,

but by His strength.

Yes, over here.

Follow Me.

Walk with Me.

We may never understand why,

   but we don't have to

for God to be powerfully working.

He knows,

   and that is enough,

for Him to carry us through.

Trusting in God

          is never passive,

but all hands on deck,

ready to be responsive,

willing to be faithful,

            even in this.

Now watch 

     what God will do.

O LORD,

Amaze us.

Astonish us.

Enlarge not just our understanding,

   but our faith in You.

Our footsteps are unseen,

  because You are carrying us.

Help us to know that

  trusting You 

           changes everything.

Reveal Yourself in this day.

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When The Strength Comes

 

Give ear to my words, O LORD,

consider my groaning.

Give attention 

  to the sound of my cry,

      my King and my God,

for to You do I pray.

              Psalm 5. 2

God sends His Holy Spirit

to pray for us

when our groanings and pain

   are too deep for words.

God hears us.

He listens.

He pays attention.

And He responds in one way

        or another.

Are we listening, paying attention

     and responding to Him?

God multiplies our prayers

to cover and provide

   far beyond ourselves

and deeper than our immediate

     despair and need.

He is our King.

He is still God,

     even in this trouble.

Are we praying for

  our own ideas and agendas

  and wants in this situation?

Or are we praying to Him,

and no other

     than the Almighty? 

O LORD,

There is so much clamor

and so many voices

   shouting at us to come away.

Help us to listen

          only to Your voice

     to come to You,

     and come with You.

Grant to us the courage

   and strength

to turn towards You,

no matter how hard.

Redeem, O Father,

   our souls

           under siege.

Even the Unresponsive Tapping Their Feet

A man's gift makes room

      for him

and brings him

   before the great.

           Proverbs 18. 16

My mother was

   an accomplished violinist,

but she didn't limit where

    God appointed her,

whether first chair in a symphony orchestra

    or playing in a rest home

    for the elderly.

Sometimes nurses mentioned

  they even saw unresponsive

  patients tapping their feet.

God grants each of us spaces

to use our gifts. abilities and talents 

   to serve Him and His Kingdom

in the most unlikely circumstances.

When we are faithful,

sometimes we don't even consider 

                or realize it.

May we unwrap and use

  our opportunities and gifts

  to love people today,

even the impossible ones.

Maybe especially them.

O LORD,

You have placed us strategically

and equipped us with gifts

not to hoard,

   but to share generously

with all those around us.

Make space for us

    to be used for Your designs

and grasp the eternal significance

           of being here and now.

Not just in what we are doing,

    but being Yours in this place.