...and He said to them,

"If any would be first,

he must be last of all

           and servant of all."

                       Mark 9. 35

(Countercultural then,

radically countercultural now.

How can I approach this situation differently 

         because I know Christ?)

And suddenly looking around

they no longer saw anyone with them

                 but Jesus only.

                                  Mark 9. 8

(Seek not a prescribed answer,

nor an outcome of your own choosing,

           but seek God in this.

Follow Him through it.

No limitations in what

       God is already doing.)

As with a deadly wound in my body,

my adversaries taunt me,

while they say to me continually,

           "Where is your God?"

                           Psalm 42. 10

(Others are always watching you,

           especially in adversity,

to see the hope of God in you,

because they are desperate to know

      if God is really true

and if He makes a difference in you.)

Blessed is he who considers the weak.

The LORD delivers him

                  in the day of trouble;

the LORD protects him 

                     and keeps him alive;

he is called blessed in the land;

You did not give him up

         to the will of his enemies.

The LORD sustains him on his sickbed;

   in his illness 

              You heal all his infirmities.

                            Psalm 41. 1-3

(The LORD is healer and redeemer.)

I waited patiently for the LORD;

He inclined to me and heard my cry.

He drew me up from the desolate pit,

      out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock,

      making my steps secure.

He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear,

and put their trust in the LORD.

                         Psalm 40. 1-3

(God is using this for His glory.

Even this.

Give God time to work

      in His timing

      and in His way.

He always has deeper purposes

            seamlessly woven.)

But immediately He spoke to them 

and said,

"Take heart,

           it is I;

have no fear."

                    Mark 6. 50

(He is with you.

Even in this unlikely, unexpected place

or season

         or strange and scary situation.

Fear just blocks out the light.

And the "what if's?" 

      keep us from recognizing Him.

Give God time to work.)

And now, Lord,

        for what do I wait?

My hope is in You.

                   Psalm 39. 7

(That on which I stake my life,

that of which

      is far more than I can imagine.)

"Go home to your friends,

and tell them how much

  the LORD has done for you,

and how He has had 

                    mercy on you."

                       Mark 5. 19

(What story has the LORD

given to you

to point others to Him?

That which has happened 

   is for His deeper purposes,

 the unfolding of His way for you,

just part of the grand narrative

                         of His glory.)

The steps of a man

   are from the LORD,

and He establishes him

  in whose way He delights;

though he fall,

he shall not be cast headlong,

for the LORD is the

                    stay of his hand.

                    Psalm 37. 23-24

(The LORD will hold you fast.

He has you, even in this.)

Trust in the LORD,

               and do good;

so you will dwell in the land,

and enjoy security.

Take delight in the LORD,

and He will give you

   the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD,

     trust in Him,

                   and He will act.

                     Psalm 37. 3-5

(Not dependent on circumstances)

Your steadfast love, O LORD,

        extends to the heavens,

Your faithfulness to the clouds.

                               Psalm 36. 5

(More than I can measure,

      more vast than I can ever know.)

And in the morning,

a great while before day,

he rose and went out

to a lonely place,

and there He prayed.

                  Mark 1. 35

(Strength for today,

bright hope for tomorrow,

deeply engraved)

Prepare the way of the Lord,

make His paths straight.

                     Mark 1. 3

(How do I do that today?

Grace and the love of Jesus 

in all I do and say,

His witness through me,

  even when I am unaware.)

I will bless the LORD

            at all times;

His praise shall 

    continually be in my mouth.

                  Psalm 34. 1

"At all times"

     is what distinguishes us.

Praise changes my heart,

           my vision,

           and my response.

Seeking to bless the LORD

   provides incredible strength

             in impossible places.

Even in this.)

...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

(Praying, reading Scripture, and worship

    changes everything about you.)

The LORD said to Moses,

"See, I have called by name Bezalel

...and I have filled him

       with the Spirit of God,

with ability 

      and intelligence,

with knowledge 

      and all craftsmanship...

               Exodus 31. 1-3

(God anoints us by name,

          appoints,

and gives us the tools.

Where God guides,

        He provides.

We have only

       to be faithful 

even in what is beyond

   what we are able

                  on our own.)

     

...in the tent of meeting

     where I shall meet with you.

                     Exodus 30. 36

(Sacred space emerges

                wherever and whenever

       we dwell with Him.

It is not important where,

              but that we do.

The LORD is personal and intimate

   and can't wait to spend time with you.

You are greatly loved.)

...where I will meet with you,

      to speak there to you.

                      Exodus 29. 42

(What do I miss out

   because I am not listening

             for Him or to Him?

Intimacy in any relationship

   is based on interaction

and time together.

God will provide unexpected 

                 pockets of time with Him,

if I am looking for them,

   and if I am willing to grasp them,

                when they appear.)

But I trust in You, O LORD,

I say,

     "You are my God."

My times are in Your hand."

                     Psalm 31. 14-15

(Even in what I don't understand,

      His deepest purposes prevail.

God never said it would be easy,

     but "I am with you."

Trust in His unexpected appointments

                        and divine timing.

Follow His scarlet thread

   through the thicket in front of you.)

Well done,

      good and faithful servant;

you have been faithful over a little,

   I will set you over much.

                    Matthew 25. 21

(Faithfulness to God

      is never insignificant.

It always bears fruit,

   even that which is not obvious

                  but profound.

Be faithful in what is proximate.

What has God entrusted to me today?)

Behold,

I send an angel before you,

to guard you on the way

and to bring you to the place

        which I have prepared.

Give heed to him

    and hearken to his voice...

                  Exodus 23. 20

(God will probably surprise you

with what is

far beyond your radar,

somewhere on the horizon

     or right beneath your feet.)

...the LORD sits enthroned

       as king for ever.

                     Psalm 29. 10

(No matter what.

Even in the unexpected.

Even in this.

There is profound purpose

   even in mystery,

even in what I do not see

                                 yet.

God's got this.

Follow Him through it.)

...in every place 

where I cause My name

to be remembered 

I will come to you

and bless you.

             Exodus 20. 24

(Wherever He leads

      whenever we follow,

even in the 

     most unlikely places

and the most unexpected ways.

Seek Him there.)

Whenever Moses held up his hand,

                       Israel prevailed;

and whenever he lowered his hand,

                       Amalek prevailed.

                              Exodus 17. 11

(Never give up praying.

Praying matters more than we can know.

Praying matters

    far beyond what we can see

    from the little spot where we stand.

"Where there is such prevailing prayer,

        something is bound to happen."

                       -- Corrie ten Boom

                            Amazing Love

We seek an answer to prayer,

    but God has a far greater victory

    already in the works.)

The LORD is my light

       and my salvation;

           whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold

                   of my life;

    of whom shall I be afraid?

...Though a host encamp around me,

      my heart shall not fear;

though war arise against me,

          yet I will be confident.

                   Psalm 27. 1, 3

(You are loved.

You are not alone in this.

No matter how things appear

                on the surface,

His purposes run deeper still,

His glory emerges 

          in unexpected places.)

But the people of Israel

   walked on dry ground 

              through the sea,

the waters being a wall to them

on their right hand and their left.

                        Exodus 14. 29

(Be not afraid.

"Trust Me in this."

God leads us in unexpected ways

        into His deeper purposes.

Be faithful

   and watch what God does with this.)