Cover Up or Cover Us

 

I acknowledge my sin to You,

and I did not cover my iniquity.

I said, "I will confess

my transgressions to the LORD,"

and You forgave

  the iniquity of my sin.

             Psalm 32. 5

No matter what we do,

we cannot cover up our sin.

Only God can cover us,

which is why He invented

          forgiveness.

Not a matter of saying to Him,

  "Oh, sorry,"

or to regret that we were 

      caught in a snare,

but "I was wrong.

       Please forgive me."

His forgiveness 

             is already there,

    ready for the asking,

    ready for the receiving.

That is why Jesus came.

And nothing can 

             remain the same.

O LORD,

We acknowledge the ways

   we have sinned against You

   and each other,

not just our shortcomings,

  but our many rebellions,

   belligerent attitudes,

   and unkindnesses.

Cover us, dear Father,

and keep us from the sin

   of trying to cover up.

Empower us to

      go forth differently today

because we know

      we have been forgiven

      by You.

You paid the price for us.

We are eternally grateful.

The Wiring Of God

 

...and I have filled him

with the Spirit of God,

with ability and intelligence,

with knowledge

     and all craftsmanship,

to devise artistic designs,

to work in gold, silver and bronze,

in cutting stones for setting,

      to work in every craft.

            Exodus 31. 3-4

God has wired us

      in many different ways

to serve Him

         and bring Him glory,

not just in natural talent,

    or working hard at something,

but with the moving of

  the Holy Spirit in us to do,

to be, to serve,

               and be faithful.

And over time, 

learning not just to get better at it,

but relying on the Holy Spirit

     to work through us.

There is no giftedness

          greater than another.

O LORD,

We are grateful for how You

  have imprinted us 

  with giftedness and talents

  and the desire to serve You

         through them.

Help us to realize

we are not limited to 

       one singular gift,

but that each opportunity

  enlarges our hearts

       to serve You

in far more ways

  than we can imagine.

Grant to us willingness

  to serve You

             even in the gaps

and even in what

   we have no natural talent,

but the supernatural.

Provide for us the courage

     to try something new,

          something deeper,

to bring You glory. 

No Greater Honor

...to serve Me...

          Exodus 28. 4

In all that we do today,

in all that we face today,

how we approach

     and navigate the hard stuff,

     the impossible schedule

                        or people,

this is the bottom line:

       to serve Me.

Serving the LORD 

   is the thread throughout,

   the focus, purpose and

         the whole enchilada

 in whatever we do today.

Even in this difficult situation,

      even in this mess,

      even in our work,

to serve the Almighty.

There is

         no greater honor.

O LORD,

Thank You for what You have

   placed before us today

not to get done

   but how to serve You

                 in it

                 and through it.

There is no divide

  between the secular 

                 and the sacred.

You grant us opportunities

   every day

      to creatively serve You

in every divine appointment

  and every sacred encounter,

even in those we do not

      recognize as such.

It is such a blessing

  to get to serve You in it.

 

The Secrets of Slow Cooking

 

...a pleasing aroma

      before the LORD.

         Exodus 29. 25

When the slow cooker

           is simmering,

and I enter the kitchen,

I am greeted by an aroma

  that can be created only

by the blending together of 

many ingredients and flavors.

That is what is produced 

by trusting God, 

responding to Him,

serving Him,

and loving others.

Every act of love, grace,

   faithfulness and worship,

blending together

            and slow cooking

into what is delightful to Him,

       the fragant aroma of Christ. 

O LORD,

May our lives today

be a pleasing aroma to You,

offering new flavors of loving You.

Help us to see 

   each individual ingredient 

              and experience

      --the sweet and savory--

in this day coming together 

     to bring glory to You.

What we love,

how we love,

       and who we love.

And that would be You.

Guiding Us In The Rest

 

And the disciples did

as Jesus had directed them...

          Matthew 26. 19

Even when it doesn't 

                 make sense,

or is terribly awkward,

or doesn't seem to matter,

or if we have a better idea

  for how it should be done,

         ...or done at all,

when we take heed

   to the voice of Jesus,

even His nudges 

  to the right or to the left,

God blesses not just

        our willingness,

but taking those actual steps

   of trusting Him.

God guides us in the rest.

And blesses far beyond

   what can be counted.

O LORD,

We seek Your direction

in the spaces and places

     before us right now.

Help us to listen to You.

And respond to Your leading.

Grant to us Your courage

   to take the first steps.

And then Your strength

       to trust you into it.

Help us to

    follow Your directions

          as we go forth

   into Your designs for us.

Write His Name All Over

 

In every place

where I cause My name

    to be remembered,

I will come to you

           and bless you.

          Exodus 20. 24

Worshiping wherever we are

changes us and even those

around us are altered

          by His Presence there.

Bring the name of Jesus

   in every place.

Someone is watching.

Someone is listening.

Someone's life is about

             to be changed.

His name is so powerful

   we cannot remain the same

...nor the place where God

has strategically positioned us. 

May we not be afraid

to speak of Me, write about Me,

     or serve Me there.

O LORD,

Write Your holy name 

    on this day 

    and in this place

and all over these circumstances.

You come to us and bless us

            by Your Presence.

May we come to You

  and bless You

through our worship and work

   and witness to others,

even those we would

    least expect

    to respond to You.

May Your name 

not just be remembered here,

but proclaimed.

While U Wait

Wait for the LORD.

Be strong 

and let your heart take courage.

Wait for the LORD.

                Psalm 27. 14

And while we wait,

pray like crazy,

be faithful to the work before us,

and trust in the 

         slow work of God.

God is on the move.

Be ready.

The issue is not

     just while we wait,

             but how we wait.

Wait in Hebrew is anything but

      a passive verb,

but means to look eagerly for,

to expect the LORD

  and fix our hope on Him,

and to bind and tie together

           a strong rope.

Waiting builds His strength

    and endurance in us.

What am I waiting for?

                   The LORD.

But perhaps He is the one

waiting for us to listen

         and seek Him.

O LORD,

Grant to us the wisdom

and strength to wait

when everything in us

wants to rush to the finish line.

Help us to trust You in this,

for Your perfect timing,

for Your purposes,

and for us to come and 

          abide with You.

The situation may not be complete.

And we may not be ready yet.

Help us to look eagerly

   not for a solution,

or end of a chapter,

          but for You.