And He said to them,

 "How many loaves

   have you?"

                 Mark 8. 5

(We have no idea

the magnitude

of what God multiplies.

What we deem puny

may be most significant

of all. 

"It doesn't matter" is not

   in God's vocabulary.

God determines 

             the impact,

not my limited vision.)

  

...in Your light

      do we see light.

                 Psalm 36. 9

(See this situation 

           in a new way.

When God casts His light

         upon it,

              every changes.

Even me.)

But Jesus said...

           Mark 9. 39

(What does Jesus

    say about this?

Seek His way

          through it.)

And suddenly looking around

they no longer saw anyone

                but Jesus only.

                  Mark 9. 8

(Keep my eyes on You,

not on what is

    swirling around me,

not on what distracts

or instills fear,

    but Your Presence.)

Beware of the satisfaction

of sinking back and saying --

      "It can't be done;"

you know it can be done

           if you look to Jesus.

       -- Oswald Chambers

           My Utmost for His Highest

Why are you cast down,

   O my soul,

and why are you

     in turmoil within me?

Hope in God;

for I shall again praise Him,

my salvation and my God.

                    Psalm 42. 5, 11

(Don't hang your hope

      on anything less.

Hope in the world

       is wishful thinking.

Hope in God

  is on Whom you

  can stake your life.)

And He said to them,
"How many loaves
       do you have?
Go and see."

             Mark 6. 38

(What can God do with THIS?
      Incredible things.
In our eyes, never enough.
In God's economy,
       more than enough.)

...before the LORD.

          Leviticus 14. 16

(Whatever we do today

       on the altar

and before Him.)

And now, LORD,
        for what do I wait?
My hope is in You.

                 Psalm 39. 7

(And in nothing less.
I wait not for an answer
       nor a solution.
I wait for God,
      I seek God alone.
The rest is just details.)

The sower sows the Word.

                      Mark 4. 14

(In every situation,
in every conversation,
    planting a forest,)

...and offer it

for a pleasing odor

               to the LORD.

      Leviticus 6. 21

(And what would that be, 

                      today?

Perhaps

  a change in attitude 

  in this situation.)

...and He said to him,

            "Follow Me."

And he rose,

and followed Him.

              Mark 2. 14

(God says the same to us,

     "Follow Me into this."

Nothing will ever be the same.

New vision, 

new heart,

new affections.

"I never saw that before.")

...as the LORD

     had commanded Moses...

       Exodus 39-40

 18 times in two chapters

(Obedience is transformed

            into clear direction.

I don't have to know

where God is taking me

or what He is up to

    to follow Him into it.)

And He said,
"My presence will go with you,
and I will give you rest."

                   Exodus 33. 14

(No matter what
      is swirling around you.
No. Matter.What.)

The LORD is my shepherd...

                    Psalm 23. 1

(Give me Your peace
     and Your direction
     even in this, O LORD)

Depart from evil,

       and do good;

seek peace, 

       and pursue it.

              Psalm 34. 14

(What do I need to do?

This is a good start.

Find God's way in this.)

Do not reprove a scoffer,

or he will hate you;

reprove a wise man,

and he will love you.

 

              Proverbs 9. 8

(What is my response in this?

The wise are always

identified by a teachable heart.

The wise know 

that they don't know everything.)

...as he came down

           from the mountain,

Moses did not know

that the skin of his face shone

because he had been 

         talking with God.

                   Exodus 34. 29

(Time with God

cannot help but change you

from the inside out,

thoughts,

attitudes,

words,

actions,

your countenance,

the very course of your life.)

Sing to Him a new song...

                     Psalm 33. 3

(How can I sing a new song

into this situation,

not the same old dirge,

but bringing glory

              to Him?

A new melody,

a new way of seeing ,

a new heart in this.)

I will instruct you

and teach you

     the way you should go,

I will counsel you

   with My eye upon you.

                    Psalm 32. 8

(Trust Me into this,

every step,

every detail.

I've got My eye on you.)

But I trust in You, O LORD,

I say, "You are my God."

My times are in Your hand.

                      Psalm 31. 14-15

(Trusting God

is not always understanding,

but always knowing

     that He is in control.

God is still working

   His mighty purposes.

Even in this.)

Yea, You are my rock

            and my fortress;

for Your name's sake

      lead me and guide me,

take me out of the net

  which is hidden for me,

for You are my refuge.

                 Psalm 31. 3-4

(There is no stronger place

     or safer place

             than in His name.

His refuge is 

   not that in which to hide

but a place of strength

        from which to go forth.)

Behold,

I send an angel before you,

to guard you on the way

and to bring you to the place

which I have prepared.

                    Exodus 23. 20

(Being overwhelmed

is when I get too far

      in front of God,

bush whacking my way

instead of following Him

      into this situation.

God is not surprised

       by any of it.)

...the LORD sits enthroned
      as king for ever.

                 Psalm 29. 10

(No matter what.
Even in this,
the LORD is still in control.
Nothing takes Him by surprise.
He is God Almighty,
    maker of heaven and earth,
not just another worldview.)

The LORD is my strength

              and my shield;

in Him my heart trusts;

         so I am helped,

and my heart exults,

and with my song

      I give thanks to Him.

                 Psalm 28. 7

(There has never been a moment

    that God has not cared deeply

    for you.

The LORD is your strength 

                  and your shield.

You are not alone.

      Live in that reality.)

Teach me Your way, O LORD,

and lead me on a level path...

                         Psalm 27. 11

(Direct my heart and my eyes

   to Your way on my radar

                in this situation.

Help me to follow You

       into it

and to see it

               with Your heart.)

...because they put the LORD

to the proof by saying,

"Is the LORD among us or not?"

                        Exodus 17. 7

(No need to be distracted.

Trust Him into it.

Don't miss out on what

       God IS doing.

God is not limited

   by what I can see 

   with my myopic eyes.)

And the people of Israel

went into the midst of the sea

               on dry ground,

the waters being a wall to them

on their right hand

          and on their left.

                Exodus 14. 22

( When we trust God 

     into our own impossible sea,

we always walk on dry ground.

God's purposes prevail.

Despite circumstances,

    even in the midst of circumstances,

God continues to work

           in supernatural ways.

Even in this.)