Strength and dignity

         are her clothing,

and she laughs

   at the time to come.

            Proverbs 31. 25

(When we know our strength

           is not our own

                     but His,

we rejoice in what

       is ahead of us,

       because we are ready.

Dignity is not how highly

            we think of ourselves

            and what we deserve,

but how we treat others

         with kindness and respect.

What are we wearing

          in the now and into the next?

What do we reach for?

What is in our wardrobe?

We can rejoice as we are getting older

           and closer to Him.

God does not just change our hearts.

     He changes what we wear.

We can approach the time to come

                  differently,

     not with despair and regrets,

but with joy and hilarity

   because we walk with the Almighty.

We are not alone.

We are Beloved.

As we get older,

    we come even more

    into the person

    God always intended us to be:

                         His.)

O LORD,

We don't know what is ahead,

      not just the future,

      but even today.

But You do.

You walk with us through it

           into Your glory.

Help us to be faithful to You

    in what is before us

                        even today,

even in the hard stuff,

even in what we do not understand,

even in what is beyond our abilities

             but fully in Your hands,

even for Your glory.

 

Praise the LORD!

Sing to the LORD a new song,

His praise in the

           assembly of the godly.

                 Psalm 149. 1

(Because very profoundly,

   praising God changes us.

The very act of praise,

rejoicing, worshiping,

recognizing not just His hand

           but His Presence

alters radically our trajectory,

how we respond to God,

                 to others,

    and to circumstances.

Praise changes our course.

Sing a new song

   right in the midst

   of what is unfolding before us,

the words of "Trust Me in this,"

       yet another stanza.)

O LORD,

Please give to us

   Your words of strength

to sing over the situations

   You have appointed today.

Help us to hum a new tune

     even in the familiar.

Show us how to encourage others

    by sharing our stories

    and songs of Your faithfulness.

And through our singing something new

       and unexpected

      in unlikely places,

point others, O LORD,

            to Yourself.

 

And on that day

there shall be inscribed

on the bells of the horses,

       "Holy to the LORD."

And the pots in the

house of the LORD

shall be as

       bowls before the altar.

               Zechariah 14. 20

(Whose name do we write

    at the top of our page?

Whose name at the

      start of this day?

Our own....or the LORD's?

Nothing is ordinary or common

   but all a means of

                 worshiping God.

All we do

            --and even use--

is sacred in His sight

        and for His glory.

May we inscribe on our days

     and deeds and words

     "Holy to the LORD."

How differently

             we would live,

nothing that God

    is not redeeming.

Present tense,

even that which we

       cannot yet see.)

O LORD,

We come into this sacred day

   with all of Your

   divine appointments and encounters

   already written on it.

Help us to recognize Your holiness

       in what You lay before us today.

Empower us to write

           "Holy to the LORD,"

over every action and word.

And to trust You through it.

 

Great is our Lord,

and abundant in power;

His understanding

     is beyond measure.

               Psalm 147. 5

(Just because we don't

             understand something

does not mean God doesn't.

There are divine purposes

         and sacred designs

   far beyond what

            we can comprehend.

His love, grace and goodness

      is embedded in what

      we can only see on the surface.

"Trust Me in this.")

O LORD,

You are intimate and personal.

You know us.

You love us.

You call us by name.

We are precious in Your sight.

You surround us with Your love

     and shouts of deliverance.

You are great.

            And You are good.

Help us to trust You even more.

Even in this.

 

Ask rain from the LORD...

          Zechariah 10. 1

(What do we miss

in our relationship with the LORD

            and in our lives

because we do not

                  come before Him.

Not just, "I need this or that."

Not even, "I need You to help me."

        But, " I need You."

When we walk with the LORD,

He does not just strengthen us,

He does not just reveal

           something new,

but our walk with Him

   even changes what we ask.

The mark of the blessed

     is not rain when asked for it,

but those in whom it is seen

    whose help is the LORD,

    whose hope is the LORD,

    whose strength is not their own,

              nor on circumstances,

    but those who love Him

        and everyone around them.

Those who trust in God.)

O LORD,

No matter what the situation,

   may our trust in You

       be a visible reminder

    to us and to others

that You are God,

            and we are not.

Thank You that we can come before You,

       not just with our needs,

but we can walk with You

                  and know You more,

even through where we are today.

You watch over us.

You uphold us.

You forgive and set us free.

You redeem.

You give us strength

         when we run

    and even when we are weary.

You unfold the unexpected.

 

Every day

      I will bless You

and praise Your name

   forever and ever.

            Psalm 145.2

(How can we bless God

and praise His name

                    today?

Not just when the skies are blue

           and the wind is favorable.

How radically that focus

would reorder our days,

our loves, our thoughts,

   actions, words

                 and attitudes,

seizing every opportunity

   and circumstance

               to praise Him

and bring the name of Jesus

          right here.)

O LORD,

We don't know what to do,

but our eyes are on You.

            (2 Chronicles 20.12)

Help us to walk with You

    in all that is before us today.

Order our day.

Guide our steps.

Direct our thoughts.

Confirm Your Word in us.

Align our hearts

                  with Yours.

Help us to see differently

     and respond differently

                 for Your glory.

 

And the streets of the city

shall be full

of boys and girls

   playing in the streets.

            Zechariah 8. 5

(The way it should be.

It is a visible picture

of the way God intended

                 all along:

peace, joy,

    and steadfast love.

"Have no fear.

     I am with you."

We are seen.

We are heard.

We are so amazingly loved,

     that God sent His Son

     to show us.

Merry Christmas!)

O LORD,

We yearn for You.

Thank You for loving us

           so very much.

Help us to love You

       by loving others

and restore Your Kingdom

   in all the earth

in all that we do and say.

Thank You

      for sending Jesus.

 

Teach me to do Your will,

     for You are my God.

Let Your good Spirit lead me

             on level ground.

             Psalm 143. 10

(Am I willing to listen to

            His voice

   and walk in His way,

              not mine?

Because He is our God,

    we walk differently.

        We bear the witness

        of a forgiven heart.

God does not promise easy,

   but He is with us,

               Immanuel,

even in this broken world,

even when there doesn't appear

        a trodden path.

God guides us through

    the rough, confusing difficult terrain

as if it was level ground,

    relying on His strength.

He walks with us there.

He brings us to Himself.)

O LORD,

We capture only glimpses

        of Your faithfulness

and someday

       the fullness of Your glory.

Teach us to listen, follow,

     and respond to You,

that we would

             not miss a thing.

We cling to the

    chronicle of Your faithfulness

and dwell not on the darkness,

   but walk toward Your light.

When our eyes are on You,

we walk differently

    because we see You,

    others,

    ourselves,

and our circumstances

                        differently.

And nothing can ever

       remain the same.

 

Not by might,

not by power,

but by My Spirit,

   says the LORD of hosts.

Who are you,

          O great mountain?

Before Zerubbabel

  you shall become a plain.

And he shall bring forward

   the top stone amid shouts of

"Grace, grace to it!"

         Zechariah 4. 6-7

(And when we stand before

   an impossibly difficult

   situation or task,

we realize it is beyond us,

         but not for Him.

His strength and His might

     do not just bring us through,

     but bring us closer to Him.

God shouts His glory

          all over us.

What is at stake here are

      not our failures nor our achievement,

      but His grace.)

O LORD,

These are the moments of

      profound significance

when we realize

          our utter need for You.

We fear the mountain before us,

     the hard ascent,

     the slippery slopes,

     the how-am-I-going-to-face-this,

and You shout, "Grace, grace to it."

Even our ordinary

   is the place of Your supernatural.

Not our strength today, O LORD,

                        but Yours.

Align our hearts with Yours.

Help us to see this impossibility

               differently

     because we walk with You.

 

Here is a call

       for the endurance and faith

       of the saints.

                    Revelation 13. 10

(Do we look at these impossible

      situations and relationships

               and difficulties

as a battle against us

or as a call for endurance and faith?

How we view it determines

         how we navigate it.

"We do not know what to do,

        but our eyes are on You."

                      2 Chronicles 20.12

This is not the end,

         nor will this last forever,

but only the most exciting part

   of the story in which God

   brings His glory

   and grants us His strength

                       to endure.

It is the pivotal point when we know

             we need Him

and decide to walk, run and

         trust Him in this.

This situation is not meant for defeat

    but to draw even closer to Him.)

O LORD,

Help us to see our situations

   with different eyes

                   and a new heart,

knowing Your Presence with us,

relying on Your strength

                  and not our own,

realizing we can trust You

         even in this.

You show us a different path

   that brings You honor

and spreads Your grace

         all over.

Help us to make this

       a loving conversation

   and not barrel into

     a needless confrontation.

 

...and the woman fled into the wilderness,

where she has a place

          prepared by God,

in which she is to be nourished

                for 1260 days.

                Revelation 12. 6

(The wilderness even in our lives

only appears

    as barren and bleak and scary,

but throughout Scripture,

the wilderness is a place God uses

     to bring us closer to Him

--a place not of abandonment

       but His Spirit there,

not a place of famine

   but of intense nourishment,

not a place of fear

                but of trusting Him.

God has prepared a place for us,

His Presence surrounding us.

"Do not fear.  I am with you.")

O LORD,

Help us to know that

just because we do not understand

   does not mean You are not in it.

And just because this is really hard

   does not mean You have not

                  appointed us here

to bear witness,

to bring the name of Jesus there,

to love You and those we find here,

to seek the welfare of this place,

to bring You glory and honor.

 

Be strong,

    all you people of the land,

                  declares the LORD.

Work,

    for I am with you,

           declares the LORD of hosts.

...My Spirit remains in your midst.

Fear not.

                           Haggai 2. 4-5

(This declaration, made thousands

             of years ago,

   remains true even today,

even in what is before us,

even in the seemingly impossible

            situation we are in.

May we not be distracted by fear

   or overwhelmed by the immensity

   of the task on our doorstep.

Worry just deflates our tires.

But God has strategically positioned

               each one of us

     in this place and time

                      for His glory

and to be a witness to others

   of the love and grace of God.

Be strong.

Work.

Fear not.

    That's what faithfulness does.

We are not alone.

God is not just here.

He is working through us

in ways we may never comprehend.)

O LORD,

Our work sometimes has

       no visible results.

                          Yet.

Help us to do the work

   and trust You with what

              You bring to it.

You never work

          in singular outcomes.

You do not just show up.

    You are already here with us.

Even in what

    only appears to us

              as bleak and barren,

   You transform the landscape

and plant a forest

            of fruit-bearing trees

that will far outlast our lifetimes.

Help us to work,

not fear,

and trust You as

    You bring your glory upon it,

no matter how that looks

                on the surface.

Help us to be Your witness

       even in this,

   in what we do,

   in how we do it,

   in Your name..

 

Fear not, O Zion,

let not your hands grow weak.

   The LORD your God

                   is in your midst,

a mighty one who will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you by His love,

He will exult over you

                   with loud singing.

                 Zephaniah 3. 16-17

(Listen. What is that we hear?

God sings His love and grace

       and triumph over us.

God personally delights in you.

Exult means to openly rejoice

    and to be joyful to the extreme.

"I am with you."

"Trust Me in this."

No need to fear or worry.

Anxiety is just

      leaving God out of the equation.)

O LORD,

Thank You for loving us.

We need not just Your help.

         We need You.

Help us in our finite state

   to realize that Your fulfillment

                  and faithfulness

are not constrained by time,

nor circumstances,

nor by what we can see

                   this side of heaven.

You are in our midst.

Help us to not fear

           nor to grow weak,

but to know that

   You are working powerfully

   in us and through us.

Even in the now.

Even in this.

 

How shall we sing the LORD's song

         in a foreign land?

                   Psalm 137. 4

(In strange and unexpected places

      and among unlikely people,

every which way we can,

    all the words and melodies,

    every language, every key,

to bring hope wherever we are

    and point others to the Almighty.

Singing is a form of worship

   and singing helps us to remember

                His faithfulness.

Our strength and joy are in the LORD.

What are we listening to?

What are we singing

          in what we say and do,

          even in our attitudes?)

O LORD,

Help us to sing in harmony with You,

        to sing a new song,

   and not bring discord to this place.

Fill us, dear God,

          with melodies of hope, joy,

          peace and love

that we may sing into the darkness

     and bring Your name

     to those who do not yet

                  know You.

May Your song that never ends

   be engraved on repeat

   in our hearts.

 

...to Him who alone

      does great wonders,

for His steadfast love

               endures forever.

                Psalm 136. 4

(God's great wonders

        are not limited

        by what we see as spectacular.

His great wonders are

              woven seamlessly

not just in extraordinary occurrences,

but in what only appears as ordinary.

Wherever we are, we are surrounded

             by great wonders,

             sacred ground,

             divine appointments

             and opportunities to worship Him.

Do we pay attention to His Presence?

Will we recognize His great wonders today

             or just explain Him away?

Twenty-six times

            in twenty six verses of Psalm 136

            is repeated:

Give thanks to the LORD,

for He is good,

for His steadfast love endures forever.

How differently would we live

    if we engraved this truth

                      into our day?)

O LORD,

You are good.

You are doing good,

      even in the hard stuff.

Help us to turn to You,

trust You,

and recognize

      not just Your fingerprints,

but You, O Almighty One,

                in our midst.

 

Praise the LORD,

for the LORD is good.

               Psalm 135.3

(Good is not an adjective,

      describing the LORD.

Good is a noun,

      who God is.

              God is good.

Even in the hard stuff,

God works out of

                 His goodness,

     His character,

     not just His resources.

He brings healing

    to this broken world

and His redeeming

       to this present darkness.

We can trust Him

     that no matter what unfolds,

God is still in control

                and we are not.

He is working goodness

      all the way through it

in tremendous ways

            we cannot yet see.

God reminds us in scripture,

"Do not even think

      about doing this on your own.

                I am with you."

Praise does not give us

         a positive outlook

         or different perspective,

praising God releases in us

                 a new heart.)

O LORD,

Help us to live in the reality

     of who You are.

Help us to not just seek

        goodness around us,

                  but to see You.

Guide us through these hard places

       to a deeper intimacy with You.

May we know Your strength in this.

And praise You

                all the way through

       for Your glory.

 

Come, bless the LORD,

all you servants of the LORD,

who stand by night

     in the house of the LORD!

                    Psalm 134. 1

(Even when we find ourselves

   in the darkness of the third shift,

even in what appears

   as a forgotten outpost,

we can bless the LORD

                  in that place.

And sing out loud.

Because those who

     stand faithfully in the darkness

     get to witness the dawning

                 of the new day.

We have not been abandoned by Him.

We are not alone.

We are strengthened by

    the One who stands here with us

and by all the light we cannot yet see.

We can bless Him here, even here.

  undaunted by changing circumstances,

every shift as vital as the one before,

      faithful even in places

                      where we are unseen.

His glory dwells there.)

O LORD,

Help us to realize

   that You have strategically

                  placed us here.

Nothing is random in Your playbook.

This is why we serve and love You

                        even here,

    to bear witness to You,

    to bless Your holy name,

    and to serve You

            with all our hearts.

Faithfulness matters,

      more than we can know.

Because You redeem

   in the most unexpected ways

   and in the most unlikely places.

May You be blessed

            in all we do today,

   wherever we are.

 

And the people of Nineveh

              believed God.

              Jonah 3. 5

(The book of Jonah is

     not just about a man

                   and a whale,

but the deliverance of

     an unlikely people.

That is the real miracle

           in this story.

We can never know

    how God is using us

when we respond to Him

   and are faithful,

even in unexpected places.)

O LORD,

Make us aware of

    Your divine appointments

and responsive to

     Your sacred encounters,

even in this day ahead of us.

Fill us with Your love

  and pack our pockets with grace

that our hearts are aligned

                     with Yours.

Help us to love others

    right into Your arms.

May we seek the welfare

         of those around us.

And realize that is why

    You have placed us here.

 

I will not enter my house

     or get into my bed,

I will not give sleep to my eyes

     or slumber to my eyelids,

until I find a place for the LORD,

a dwelling place for

             the Mighty One of Jacob.

                Psalm 132. 3-5

(Spending time with the LORD

    is not "just one more thing

        I don't have time for."

But time with Him orders my loves

    and reorders my urgencies.

We are too busy not to.

Even in what appears the same,

  we see the day differently

  because we walk with Him.

The adversary always shouts,

          "Doesn't matter.

           You don't have time for that."

But God whispers, "Come to Me.

              Walk with Me.

     It matters a lot.  Much more.

     Not just for today

                  but forever.

     Not just for you

            but for everyone around you.")

O LORD,

Make me mindful of those things

    that casually slip in

    and take Your rightful place.

Help me to not be distracted

   by what cries out Important!!!

                  but is not.

Reveal to us

   pockets of time each day

   to spend with You.

You go before us.

You walk with us.

You change our hearts.

 

I do not occupy myself

with things too great

and too marvelous for me.

But I have calmed

    and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child

             with its mother,

like a weaned child

    is my soul within me.

               Psalm 131. 1-2

(What is right before me today?

God is with me, even in this.

      "Right here with you."

Worry is running ahead of God

   and being distracted by

   what is not in my control anyway,

                        but His.

Worry is leaving God Almighty

            out of the picture.)

O LORD,

Help me to walk with You

     through this,

 in what I know,

and what I cannot yet see.

May I rest in Your arms

   and let You not just comfort me,

but strengthen me

    for both the now and not yet.

You redeem.

No matter the circumstances,

    You do not abandon us,

but draw us closer to You.

Help me in all that I do see

      to be faithful to You

      in all things,

        both great and small.

And realize that

  faithfulness is never insignificant.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

Out of the depths

    I cry to You, O LORD!

O Lord, hear my voice...

I wait for the LORD,

     my soul waits,

and in His Word I hope.

             Psalm 130. 1-2, 5

("Come to Me."

And in the coming,

we find that He is

        already with us,

   a strong hold upon us,

              even in this.

He has not promised easy

   in this broken

             and shattered world,

but "I am with you."

His Presence and strength

          guide us on our way.

"Walk with Me through this."

God pours over us His grace

       covers us with His peace,

and He redeems.)

O LORD,

Sometimes we are beyond words,

    tripped up by despair,

    and stumbling in the dark.

Help us to walk toward

                  Your light

and to take

      Your outstretched hand.

Help us to see in the dark

   and follow You

   into Your redeeming.

There is always Your redeeming,

   even in what we cannot see.

But we can trust You.

 

Do you see a man who is

         hasty in his words?

There is more hope for a fool

         than for him.

                Proverbs 29. 20

(Just a little reminder in this

    season of joy and stress

that our words are non-returnable,

           not exchangeable,

               and final sale.

Even those that slip out,

         "I didn't mean to say that."

God calls us to be quick to listen,

      slow to speak,

      not just filling the air

            with empty words,

   but those that build up love.

Point and direct the conversation

                       to Him.

Sometimes speak.

Sometimes nothing at all.

Use your words.

     But always use them wisely

     and with unexpected grace

          which is such a rare treasure

          in our world.)

O LORD,

Let the words of my mouth

      bring You glory

   in unexpected places

   and among unlikely people.

Help me to not ignite turmoil

    but bring Your grace

    to this situation.

May even our conversations

            bring You glory.

May we love others

                into Your Kingdom

   even by how we respond.

 

I will restore to you

the years that the

  swarming locust has eaten.

                 Joel 2. 25

(God has not just brought us through,

    but has been with us

                        all along,

   and He is still with us now,

      past, present, and future tense.

No expiration date.

     No place beyond His grace.

Not just the promise that

God will redeem,

   but He is already redeeming,

even in ways we cannot yet see,

      even in this,

                  right where we are.

New saplings and a great forest

   emerge from

  the stumps of old growth trees.)

O LORD,

We so easily lose sight of

     our joys and Your wonders

and listen only to the sorrows,

             and not to You.

But we can stake our lives on You,

     send down roots

     and bear fruit

           even in this broken world.

And sing Your glory in this place.

May others see a light and a hope,

      something very different in us,

                      and let that be You.

We are not stuck.

We are coming through the hard places,

    bringing others with us,

and helping others with Your strength,

          right into Your Kingdom.

 

Sow for yourselves righteousness;

reap steadfast love;

break up your fallow ground,  

    for it is time to seek the LORD,

that He may come

    and rain righteousness

                          upon you.

                   Hosea 10. 12

(Such timeless truth

     written and preserved

     in this ancient document

           of God's faithfulness.

What are we sowing?

Faithfulness always bears fruit

    in one dimension

                     or a thousand,

mostly in ways

          we will never fathom.

Are we seeking God in this

     situation, dilemma,

                or same old task today?

Nothing is mundane

      when we seek Him in it.

What is the uncultivated land

                    in our lives

     that we have ignored

                       or passed over,

the hard crusty unplowed ground

   that is incredibly sacred in His sight,

          just waiting to burst forth,

   right beneath our feet?)

O LORD,

Help us to see this day

    not as ordinary or stressful,

    but to seek You in it.

Guide our thoughts,

order our days,

align our hearts with Yours,

that You will transform

    the dry desert

    into what bears fruit.

Empower us with Your wisdom

       and vision

to see this day differently,

to come before You,

and to run like the wind

                      with You.

You bring Your fruit

    in unexpected places.

 

For I desire steadfast love

            and not sacrifice,

the knowledge of God

      rather than burnt offerings.

                  Hosea 6. 6

(The most important thing to God

      is our relationship to Him.

He is not trying to "teach us" anything.

He wants to be with us.

He does not require success,

      nor perfect kids,

      nor our stuff,

but desires our hearts.

What is most significant to God

        in this situation

        or on this path?

To love Him in it,

         love others through it,

     and to know Him more.

Where is my heart in this?

    What am I sowing

       --harshness or grace?)

O LORD,

Our hearts are revealed

       in how we respond

    in all good endeavors,

    in unexpected difficulties,

    in the joys

             and on the rocky path.

We cannot carry this load

                       ourselves

    but we can direct it to You.

Reorder our loves.

Help us to point others to You

       by showing grace

       as You have shown grace

                       to us,

unexpected and undeserved.

Reveal Yourself to us

      in whatever we do today

and with whomever

          You appoint us

to love them

      with Your steadfast love.

 

...not as though I were writing you

       a new commandment,

but the one we have had

                      from the beginning--

that we love one another.

                  2 John 1. 5

(What is the will of God in this?

How do we approach

     this volatile situation,

     this impossible person,

     these hard circumstances

         beyond our understanding?

Love one another.

As simple as that,

    as sacrificing as that.

--our approach, our focus,

           our response,

by how we are known

    because of Who we know.

Bring the love of Jesus

                    to this.)

O LORD,

May Your love be evident

    in all that we are

    and all that we do.

Help us to love others

                  in real time

   because we love You.

Empower us

          to practice Your grace

   until Your heart becomes ours,

and that loving others

      is no longer a sacrifice

      but a joy.

 

And there

I will give her her vineyards

and make the Valley of Achor

            a door of hope.

               Hosea 2. 15

(Achor means trouble.

We've all been in that deep valley

    at one time or another.

But we are not stuck there.

In the bleak wilderness,

in the barren place,

in the valley of trouble,

even there

   God provides in unlikely places

   and in unexpected ways.

His mercy prevails

            even in the hard stuff.

God is faithful and reveals Himself.

Don't miss Him.

It is not that He has not shown up.

        He is already here.

We are the ones late

               to recognize Him.)

O LORD,

You are our help.

Help us to seek You

     in this bleak place.

Have mercy on us.

And provide, O LORD,

              Your strength in this.

Help us to not just

     seek an exit,

nor just get through this,

but to know You more.

Help us to walk toward

    Your door of hope,

                    even in this.

You have positioned us here

   to bring Your name

   and Your glory

      in unexpected places.

 

And those who are wise

shall shine like the brightness

        of the sky above,

and those who turn many

                to righteousness

   like the stars forever and ever.

                  Daniel 12. 3

(Not seeking the spotlight for oneself,

   but radiating His light

           and love and grace.

Seek His wisdom

    dig deep, uncover, search out.

Seek righteousness,

     not our way but His in this.

Seek the welfare of others

                   intentionally,

     because that is what love does.

Point others to God

         in all things,

     even in the ordinary,

     because that is how we learn

               how to respond in the crisis.

That is what to do

     with this difficult situation,

     this task before us today,

     this unexpected turn of events,

     this hard relationship,

     this impossible person.

Love them to Jesus.

Faithfulness to God

        always responds differently.)

O LORD,

Abide in us.

Help us to walk toward Your light,

      even in the dark places.

Let Your light shine from within us

     to point others to You.

We cannot change others,

   but we can change

              how we respond,

and how we can love others,

       even in this.

Shine through us this day,

    even in the ordinary,

    even in unlikely places,

    even when we are unaware.

 

By this we know love,

that He laid down His life

                     for us,

and we ought to lay down

  our lives for the brothers.

                 1 John 3. 16

(By this we know

     how much we are loved.

  That is why Jesus came.

How do we lay down our lives

        for others today?

We are surrounded by

   opportunities to show grace.

Practicing in the little ways

   builds strength to love large.

What do we choose in this?

The closest parking place,

    the biggest piece of pie,

    the critical thought

          is where it starts.

Pay attention,

be aware of our surroundings,

and respond to God's nudges.

Let the love of Christ invade.)

O LORD,

May not a moment pass by

   that we are not aware

   of Your Presence

   and the opportunity

      to love others to You.

Help us to see Your way in this.

Grant us the wisdom,

           strength and courage

to seek the welfare

    of those around us.

May our lives reflect

        Your love.

Every action, word and attitude

    are never insignificant

   --the tangible and the intangible.

We cannot know

                 what sticks,

nor what draws someone to You.

                          

 

...for you are greatly loved.

                Daniel 9. 23

(All we need to know.

Not just a feeling or emotion

        that comes and goes,

but the reality

      that God loves us.

It is not that we grab hold

              of that truth,

but that truth has a

         strong hold on us.

And it changes how we see God,

other people,

ourselves,

and our circumstances.

Am I loved?  is the cry

            of every human heart

because God does.)

O LORD,

Thank You for loving us

        no matter what.

Help us to know Your love

        no matter what.

May we stake our lives

   on Your steadfast love

and trust You in it.

Because we can know we are loved,

     we can live differently.

     We can love You

        in all that we are and do.

Help us to go forth into this day

    knowing that we are greatly loved

                           by You.

   That is all we need to know,

     and that changes everything.

    

 

In my distress I called

        to the LORD,

and He answered me.

               Psalm 120. 1

(God answers in

            unexpected ways.

    Look for Him.

    He reveals Himself,

       not just a solution,

       or exit door,

       or emergency helicopter.

He doesn't show up.

     He is already here.

This is the first verse

    of the ancient songs of ascent.

Pray to the LORD

                  over the distress.

Sing over the hard places.

Sing aloud with Him.

     Sing louder because

     He walks with us.

Do not be dismayed

           at the steepness.

God gives His impossible strength

       for the next little step,

              and then another.

Even in the scorched places,

    the narrow rocky path,

    in the drought,

    the fog,

    the cliffs on both sides,

God walks with us there.

       He has a strong hold on us.

His Presence changes

                everything.)

O LORD,

When our minds and thoughts

     race first thing to panic,

trigger our hearts

      to pray

      as our first response.

Remind us that

    we are not alone in this,

but that You walk with us

in the high scary places

    and in the dark miry bog.

You do not just

          bring us through.

You bring us to You.

Help us to approach this difficulty

      with a new heart

            and a strength that is not ours

      but Yours.

And sing out loud with You

   Your goodness

   even in what we

             cannot understand.

 

...but my heart stands in awe

                 of Your words.

I rejoice at Your Word

   like one who

   finds great spoil.

               Psalm 119. 161-162

(God unfolds His blessing,

     His strength, His wisdom,

              grace and love

       through His Word.

When we come before it,

     when we  dive into it

              with great awe,

we read it differently,

we ponder it,

we strive to let it sink in

     and seek to live it out.

Every time we open His Word,

God changes us

     --and everyone around us--

             through it.

These are not just printed out pages,

     but the very words of God.)

O LORD,

Draw us not just to reading Your Word,

   but draw us in

that we would know You more

     and the reality of Your Presence.

Change us through it.

Help us to realize Your treasure

    as Your Word plays out

    in whatever we face or do today.

Thank You for Your Word.

 

When Daniel knew

    that the document had been signed,

he went to his house

where he had windows

     in his upper chamber

     open toward Jerusalem.

He got down on his knees

             three times a day

and prayed

and gave thanks before His God,

    as he had done previously.

              Daniel 6. 10

(The foundation was already laid.

This was not the first time

            Daniel trusted God for his life.

He lived in such a way

         that God was seen in all he did,

         in who he was,

         in how he prayed.

His first response

     was what he did every day.

"If we do not do the running

 on the ordinary days,

 we shall do nothing in the crisis."

            --Oswald Chambers)

O LORD,

May we seek You

  to pray and trust and worship

  on the most ordinary days.

That we may know fully

    Your Presence,

           even in the hard stuff.

You are near, O LORD.

You are our strength.

May Your Word

   engrave faithfulness in us.

May trusting You

            be our default.

 

I have heard of you

that the Spirit of the holy God

                 is in you,

and that light and understanding

   and excellent wisdom

                  are found in you.

                  Daniel 5. 14

(We all worship something.

If we do not worship God,

a lesser god will take

             His rightful place.

Whom or what we worship

    and honor and glorify

will be evident in

            our character,

how we respond,

what we pursue,

how we love others.

What do others see

         differently in us?

Do they sense the evidence

     of the Holy Spirit

      residing there?

That we are faithful to Him?)

O LORD,

We seek not Your blessing in this day,

     but that we would bless You.

Help us to love You with all our hearts

              and minds and strength.

Let that love be evident in

         how we respond to circumstances

         and how we love others around us.

In all that we do today,

      bring Your glory to it.

Please grant to us Your wisdom

                 and understanding

and Your light in situations

     we cannot carry on our own.

 

For this very reason,

make every effort to supplement

        your faith with virtue,

and virtue with knowledge,

and knowledge with self control,

and self control with steadfastness,

and steadfastness with godliness,

and godliness with

                    brotherly affection,

and brotherly affection with love.

                   2 Peter 1. 5-7

(Step by step,

layer by layer,

choice by choice,

    deepening our faith.

And realizing these

    are not just supplements

              or attachments,

but a pursuit that

   empowers us to grow in Him.

And it starts with today.

What choices am I making

            in this day

     to abide in Him?)

O LORD,

We praise You

    because You are with us.

We honor You

    because You are God.

May our lives

         and what we choose

    reflect Your glory.

Help us to grow in You.

Nudge us

    to make different choices

    to follow You fully.

Let our faithfulness to You

   be nurtured in layers

   and daily decisions.

Be thou our vision

            and our strength.

     

 

Daniel answered the king and said,

"No wise men, enchanters,

     magicians, or astrologers

can show to the king the mystery

     that the kind has asked,

but there is a God in heaven

           who reveals mysteries...

                  Daniel 2. 27-28

(Daniel does not draw

          attention to himself,

but points the entire kingdom

     to the reality of God Almighty.

But there is a God in heaven

   --on that reality,

     we can stake our lives.

Nothing random,

nothing without divine purpose,

trusting God

          and being faithful to Him,

even into

      what we cannot yet understand.)

O LORD,

We can live differently

    with hope and joy

          even in the hard stuff,

because You are God Almighty,

            and we are not.

Our prayers to You

for provision, protection, purpose

             and deliverance

are always in some way

     answered unexpectedly,

because there is a lot deeper

           in Your designs

      than we are aware of.

Help us to trust You

    and point others to You

in all that we are,

in all that You have given us

                 to do.

 

...always be prepared

to make a defense to anyone

            who asks you

for a reason

             for the hope

that is in you,

yet do it with gentleness

                  and respect.

            1 Peter 3. 15

(Always be ready,

stay watchful for that unexpected moment,

    to point others to the hope of Jesus.

People are watching us

   to know why we are different,

   why we respond differently,

   and to know after all,

              that God is real.

They don't want a prepared sermon

       or a memorized script.

They are homesick for God.

They want to know our story.)

O LORD,

Help us to know that there are

     no random circumstances,

     nor chance encounters,

but only divine appointments

    to be faithful before others

   and to bring the name of Jesus

               at a moment's notice.

Help us to be aware

               of sacred opportunities

    in unexpected places

    and among unlikely people

to love them into Your Kingdom.

 

And on the banks,

on both sides of the river,

there will grow all kinds

           of trees for food.

Their leaves will not wither,

nor their fruit fail,

but they will bear fresh fruit

              every month,

because the water for them

   flows from the sanctuary.

Their fruit will be for food,

   and their leaves for healing.

                  Ezekiel 47. 12

(What fruit are we bearing

                  with our lives?

What kind of fruit

     do others see

     and experience through us?

What we sow,

into what we send down our roots,

on what sustains us

    impacts not just our lives,

    but everyone around us

          for multiple generations.

The LORD provides.

The LORD sustains.

The LORD brings the growth.

What a beautiful visual

   of God's faithfulness.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

O LORD,

We seek to bring You glory,

wherever You have placed us,

that Your name may be known

and we can thrive,

         even in the drought.

Your faithfulness

    always unfolds fruitfulness.

You are here in this place,

     and we can trust You.

May we honor You this day

    in all that we do,

    in seeking the good of others,

    in bearing fruit

             even in impossible situations,

for Your Kingdom,

for Your glory,

in Your name.

 

...and I shall walk

         in a wide place,

for I have sought

             Your precepts.

              Psalm 119. 45

(When we soak in God's Word,

not just reading a passage,

but bringing scripture with us

              into the day

     and into our ways,

God brings us to a new place.

God enlarges our space,

        our thoughts, our actions.

He guides us in unexpected ways.

He reveals passages

                 previously hidden.

He leads us through

   when there seems to be

   no possible way.

He gives us the grace

      to bring His name to it.

God rewires our minds

               and our hearts.

Have I considered

    seeking God about this

            and trusting Him with it?

Anxiety is trying to take control

     over what is rightly His.)

O LORD,

May Your Word sink deeply

      in our hearts and minds

and infect all we do today.

Help us to read Your Word first and pray

    as we head into

    what is before us today.

Enlarge our hearts

           to follow You.

Help us to find Your way in this

    that brings You glory

in the familiar and the unknown,

and point others to You.

 

They shall enter My sanctuary,

and they shall approach My table,

to minister to Me,

and they shall keep My charge.

                 Ezekiel 45. 16

(Wherever we are,

    no matter where we are,

we are on holy ground,

   the place of God's own choosing

   to bring His name there.

We approach this situation,

     the known and the unknown,

     even the really difficult,

by approaching it differently

   as in ministering to the LORD.

How do I pray,

how do I see this --or them--

                   with a new heart,

how do I respond

          with unexpected grace?

 Because this is not a random encounter,

     but a divine appointment

     to minister to the LORD

        by ministering to others.)

O LORD,

Help us to see this day,

this place,

this point in time

        as Your sanctuary,

a place to worship You,

a place to bless You,

a place to bring Your love

     and grace

     and the name of Jesus there.

Reveal Yourself to us today

          as we dwell in You,

even in the most unlikely places

   and among unexpected people.

Astonish us by Your Presence

              with us all along.