Ringing In The New

 

He will dwell with them,

and they will be His people,

and God Himself

          will be with them

          as their God.

He will wipe away

 every tear from their eyes,

and death shall be no more,

neither shall there be

   mourning, nor crying,

   nor pain anymore,

for the former things

              have passed away.

And He who is seated

on the throne said,

"Behold I am making

          all things new."

          Revelation 21. 3-5

(Hope is not wishful thinking,

nor delusion, nor conjuring up 

    the world's convenient fictions.

But hope in God is knowing

that there is something more.

This life is not all there is.

Hope in God

   is on what and on Whom

   we can stake our lives.

God does not just

  make the best He can

  from leftover broken pieces

              patched together.

God makes all things new.

                God redeems.

No more tears, nor death,

   nor sorrow, pain or nightmares.

That which every one desires.

God turns the world

               right side up,

the way He always intended.)

O LORD,

You do not just give us a new year,

    but a new life, fresh every day.

You make all things new.

Help us to follow You

           with faithfulness

and bring Your goodness

   every way we can

   to every wounded soul.

Please show us

   how to bring Your holy name

   into our circumstances,

   and to all those around us,

in word and deed and attitude.

May we not set goals this new year,

    but enlarge our lives

    by setting our hearts

                          on You.

Written All Over

 

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

(Before the LORD,

        all things --

our actions, words, attitudes,

         even our stuff--

   are scared.

Not to worship but the means

         to worship Him.

Nothing is ordinary

  nor insignificant in His sight.

May we inscribe on this day

       "Holy is the LORD."

And see the time we are given,

these places we inhabit

        or move within,

our experiences

        as holy to Him.

Even this ordinary

    or really difficult day

is an opportunity to worship Him,

by what we do with what

            we have been given,

among whom we move about,

and with what

    we grasp in our hands,

as the saints of old

               are depicted.)

O LORD,

This is yet another day

    that You have made.

May You be glorified in it.

Write Your name

            all over every minute.

Please help us today

   to be a witness to You

by what we do

    and how we respond

and to Whom we worship.

Help us to be known

            as Yours.

Same circumstances,

    fresh new choices.

Please order our affections.

Anoint this day

           with Your Presence.

And appoint our steps.

Known By What We Wear

 

...for the fine linen is

the righteous deeds

           of the saints.

        Revelation 19. 8

(What are we up to today?

Never the "same old thing,"

   when we are serving Him.

Everything we do and say

   is weaving together

   His visible glory.

Righteous deeds reflect

   our inner hearts

   --whom we worship.

They are not just remembered,

or serve a momentary purpose,

or even linger,

but continue to work mightily

      in this broken world,

far-reaching into every crevice

     of time and place

                   and significance.

Righteous deeds resound His glory

   even in the darkest, hardest places.

We are changed through them.

It is part of God's

        endurance training.

Through what we choose to do today,

   He strengthens us for tomorrow.)

O LORD,

May we bring You glory

    by the deeds we wear,

by what we do and say,

by how we respond,

and how we love others

       right to You.

Please keep us aware

  of opportunities

for righteous deeds today,

the gaps,

the broken cracks

           on the sidewalks,

the wounded around us.

Please help us

   know how to respond

and to have the courage

  and compassion to do so.

In Your holy name.

For Your glory.

For Your great redeeming.

Because we love You.

Help and Hope

 

Blessed is he

    whose help is

    the God of Jacob,

whose hope is

     in the LORD his God,

who made heaven and earth,

the sea, and all that is in them...

                    Psalm 146. 5-6

(Our help and our hope is

   in the Creator of the universe.

Doesn't get better than that.

This difficult place we face

    is not too hard for Him.

Our help and our hope

   are intricately and

   seamlessly woven together,

 rooted in God Himself.

    We are no longer dependent

    on wavering circumstances,

but strengthened

      and able to respond to them,

because of His abiding in us.

God does not promise an easy life,

  but that we need not fear,

or let fear sap our limited energy,

because He is with us

                       to help us.

God will not just see us through

         to the other side,

but walk with us every step,

   strengthening, healing,

   and helping.)

O LORD,

We are so blessed

     by Your Presence,

Your provision and protection

   of which we sometimes are 

                    not even aware.

Sing Your help and hope

   over our brokenness

   and our hard stuff.

May we be a witness to others

   of Your steadfast love

as You write Your name

         all over this situation.

You provide.

You nourish.

You redeem.

We are not alone.

Reflections in the Dark

 

...for like the jewels of a crown

they shall shine on His land.

For how great is His goodness,

and how great His beauty.

             Zechariah 9. 16-17

(Do we see ourselves that way

   --precious to God

     and reflecting His love

                     and grace,

     shining His light

     in this dark broken world?

Do we see God that way,

    the greatness of His goodness

and His beauty beyond what

    we can even describe?

We know but only a glimpse.

Filled with wonder,

    responding in worship.)

O LORD,

Your greatness and goodness

   is beyond what we can see

   and way beyond

         our limited vocabulary.

May You be reflected

    through all we do today,

in our attitudes, our words,

            and our deeds.

We seek not just Your blessing,

   but that we would bless You

with kindness to others,

      and faithfulness to You,

in tangible actions

         and encouraging words.

Help us to bring Your name

    wherever we go today.

May we dwell on Your goodness

      and beauty,

even in unexpected places.

And let Your light shine

                   through us.

  

Stop, Look and Listen

 

And this shall come to pass,

if you will diligently obey

  the voice

     of the LORD your God...

          Zechariah 6. 15

(When we listen, if we listen,

everything does not just

     look different.

     Everything IS different.

God changes our hearts.

The wilderness is a wonder,

    not just a wasteland.

We have no idea

    the incredible goodness

that the Almighty is unfolding,

   when we listen,

   respond,

   and follow Him.

Diligently means not just

          with intention

   but a careful pursuit.

Diligent is based on the word

            diligere which means

   "to love and take delight in."

Do we delight in responding

              to His voice?

The result is

   what God brings to this situation,

what He unfolds,

what will take place,

    and how He completes it.)

O LORD,

May we this day

       not just hear Your voice,

   but listen and respond

with faithfulness, kindness,

      mercy and grace,

   every which way we are able.

Please help us to not just

        see Your way through

        these circumstances,

  but to know You more.

Help us to listen carefully to You

     and run to You.

And to be a witness to others

      by Your abiding in us.

Others are watching us,

   not to see if we are perfect,

but to see if You are real.

The Way God Intended

 

And the streets of the city

shall be full of boys and girls

     playing in the streets.

            Zechariah 8. 5

(That image shows

   what God intended all along.

       Peace on earth.

That's why Jesus came:

   to save us from our sin

 and to show that life

   can be so very different.

Merry Christmas!)

O LORD,

Thank You so much

    for coming to earth

to reveal Your love for us.

Thank You for Jesus.

May we be bold in

   showing Your love and grace

   to others

and by our lives and words

          point others to You.

Your gospel changes

                  everything.

You bring peace

    to this broken world.

You bring peace

    to our hearts.

Help us to be a blessing

    to others today

and to bless Your holy name.

Even Humming Alone

 

...singing a new song

     before the throne...

         Revelation 14.3

(God did not create noise

   just to fill the silence,

      but incredible soundwaves

      that move our hearts,

another evidence of His Presence,

      and as a form of worship.

It is not the perfection of notes

             that matters,

but the outpouring of our souls,

    the music of the spheres.

Music is one of

     God's amazing creations

that cannot be explained away

        as human invention,

but intricately designed

     and divinely appointed.

What are we singing or playing

            before God?

There is no end

      to that kind of worship,

whether humming alone

     or a thousand voice chorus.

We come before the Almighty,

   and we cannot help but

           be changed by it.)

O LORD,

We come before You with music,

and You reveal Yourself

      through it.

Please help us to sing and play

         as a form of worship

         as a form of witness,

   alone

   or in the with-ness of others,

the words and phrases,

the notes and melodies,

    a gift You have given,

that we may return to You.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Never A Day of Small Things

 

Do not despise these

     small beginnings,

for the LORD rejoices to see

    the work begin....

            Zechariah 4. 10

(There are no ordinary days,

        no small beginnings,

    nor even a day of small things.

For within these hours

   amidst the ordinary tasks,

     the familiar patterns,

     our attitudes,

     and what we choose to do,

               the profound is sown.

How we respond to the small things

--that which doesn't seem to matter--

                 in our every days

   changes the course of our lives.

No matter what we do today,

     we are serving the Almighty.

And there is nothing

            insignificant in that.)

O LORD,

Just an ordinary day

   does not appear in

          Your vocabulary.

Please help us to

  grasp every opportunity

  to serve You

      and love others,

because it is

    all extraordinary in Your Kingdom.

Even scrubbing the floors

   is as significant in Your eyes

   as painting the Sistine Chapel,

            if our hearts

            are focused on You.

Grant us the wisdom and strength

     to bring You immense glory

            in our small beginnings.

May we honor You

   in how we navigate this day

   and praise You in it.

Wonders In The Wilderness

 

...and the woman fled

   into the wilderness,

where she has a place

          prepared by God,

in which she is

     to be nourished.

             Revelation 12. 6

(Many things

   in the book of Revelation

   we do not understand,

but we don't have to miss

   Who they are pointing to.

God still speaks to us.

As in this passage,

it is in the most unanticipated,

  unexpected and unlikely

                 places and ways

      God nourishes us,

to be supported, fed,

   and strengthened.

It may appear to us as a hard

      and barren situation

but God is feeding us there.

     And brings the healing

                        we need.

He does not just show up

      or come to us,

but He is with us,

       prepared and ready

to sustain and build us up

  ---strength training

      for what is now and

      what is to come.)

O LORD,

We may not understand

what we are going through,

              or why,

   or how we can endure.

But we can be well-assured

    that You are with us,

feeding, strengthening, and

    making Yourself known.

Even in this wilderness,

  reveal the wonders

       of Your Presence.

Align our hearts with Yours.

Help us to live faithfully,

love well,

and practice grace

            even in this.

Gets All Over Everything

 

...that I may be glorified,

             says the LORD.

              Haggai 1. 8

(That alone is purpose enough

       in what we do today.

But God's glory

        is never singular

        in its effects.

His glory infiltrates everything.

His glory changes the world

  in magnificent

  and incomprehensible ways.

What if I approached

   this rare opportunity,

   this everyday task,

   this irritable person,

   this really hard situation

with the mindset and heartset

  that God be glorified in this?

Not to endure it,

    or be incredibly successful,

    or complain,

    or turn the praise to myself,

            but seek His glory.

A changed heart

    is not a side benefit

                   of His glory

but a dynamic element

  that catches us up into it.)

O LORD,

We have choices everyday

     in all that we do,

to bring You glory.

You do not just walk with us,

     nor hold our hands,

             but You hold us.

We are not alone.

We are precious in Your sight.

Show us how to glorify You

                       today.

Even here.  Even in this.

The Song That Never Ends

 

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

(How differently would we

    face this task before us

    if we knew

       God was not just in it,

   but God is with us,

   right here in our midst?

We desire circumstances

                     to change.

God desires to

               strengthen us

   by knowing Him more,

   right in middle

                of the hard stuff,

the impossible places where

    God's Presence and hand

    cannot be explained away.

For us not to run away or escape,

   but respond

           by trusting Him into it.

God is here with us,

   even in the hard stuff.

What does it take for us

   to realize that?

He sings over us,

"Fear not. 

 Right here with you.

 Keep working faithfully.

 I'll not just bring you through,

   but I'll bring the strength.")

O LORD,

Help us to trust You

        in the ordinary,

     to turn to You

        even in the familiar,

that we would know You

   even in the extraordinary.

Your fulfillment always

   encompasses the unexpected,

   but without fail,

         Your steadfast love

      woven seamlessly into it.

Go forth before us, O LORD,

         into Your day for us.

Sing Your name over us.

Sing Your Presence into it

       no matter the clamor,

that we may hear

and hum along

  Your song that never ends.

      

Way Beyond Belief

 

For I am doing a work

            in your days

that you would not believe

        if told.

           Habakkuk 1. 5

(God's work is so much bigger

    than we can comprehend.

Learn to wait and trust Him

   as He unfolds,

   works out,

   and brings about

         all things for His glory.

He is not done yet.

God redeems.

He turns these hard things

        right side out

        in His timing

    and in His unexpected ways.

God calls to us to walk with Him

       in the familiar and ordinary,

   even in what is foreign

       and unknown to us.

"Do not fear,

          but trust in Me.

Even in this,

          I am with you.")

O LORD,

There is so much that

   we cannot see

               from where we stand,

   nor grasp

        because we are not You.

But we can live assured

   because Your name is

   Immanuel

            -- God with us.

Please help us

   not just to follow You,

but walk with You,

          hand in hand,

and not run ahead of You.

No matter what is

    swirling all around us,

we can stake our lives

              on You alone.

We cannot understand

                  everything,

but one thing we can grasp

   is that You see us,

              You hear us,

    and You love us

        far more than we know.

Unexpected Places of Refuge

 

The LORD is good,

a stronghold

       in the day of trouble;

He knows those who take

          refuge in Him.

                Nahum 1. 7

(Deep and steep in the mountains

      of Italy and Switzerland

are multiple refugio's,

     huts scattered along the trails,

     a welcome sight for hikers

     to rest and refresh with food 

         and a place to spend the night.

A refugio is not a place to hide,

     but to be strengthened

                    along life's journey.

God's Presence is there.

      "Come to Me," He beckons.

He is our stronghold.

He has a strong hold on us.

In God's refugio,

     we have a standing reservation.

The porch light is on.

     We have a place at the table

      with our name on it.)

O LORD,

You are good.

In the days (plural) of trouble

     or the seasons of clear skies,

         we can turn to You.

Help us to not forget

        You are with us.

May we recognize

    the reality of Your Presence,

even on the tough climbs,

              the miry bogs,

              and rocky paths.

We are not alone.

        You hike with us.

        You are our refuge

                 and strength.

Your steadfast love

       has no expiration date.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Peace in Impossible Places

 

And He shall be their peace.

                 Micah 5. 5

(Peace,

not based in favorable circumstances,

not in the absence of conflict,

but His peace

   right in the midst of the unlikely.

Learn to seek His peace

          in the every days,

  that we may know how to bring it

  into troubled places

        and volatile situations,

not just for our own comfort,

   but for the goodness

   of many people.

Be the faithful witness here,

   even if no one else is.

Seek His peace

            and pursue it.)

O LORD,

We can live differently

    because we know You.

You are our peace,

   even in impossible places.

Let Your peace reign in our hearts

    that we will know how to

    approach, navigate and

        respond differently.

You change us at our core,

   our actions, our being,

           even our vocabulary.

Whatever we face today,

  may Your peace reign

                   in our hearts

  and get all over everything.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Resetting Our Navigation

 

Come,

let us go up

   to the mountain of the LORD,

to the house of

   the God of Jacob,

that He may teach us His ways

and that we may

           walk in His paths.

                   Micah 4. 2

(Worship changes us,

       how we approach

   even the same circumstances,

          navigate the hard places,

          and how we walk.

God's ways and His paths

   look very different,

   even in the same landscape.

By worshiping Him,

  we bring Him glory

      in unexpected ways

      and among the unlikely.

Worship infiltrates

         everything we do.)

O LORD,

Help us to make worship

   not just a priority,

   but preeminent in all we

         do and say and are.

May Your Spirit infect us,

   not only to be mindful of You,

   but to have the mind of Christ.

May worshiping You

   change us to our very core,

   making fresh choices in

           how we walk,

           how we love,

           how we respond,

   and how we see You.

Reveal Your paths

             for us today.

Appoint our steps.

Order our affections.

And draw our attention

            to You.

More Precious Than We Imagine

 

...and golden bowls

           full of incense,

which are the prayers   

      of the saints.

              Revelation 5. 8

(God does not just hear us.

He treasures every word.

He keeps our prayers active

         before Him,

   continually responding to us,

   in reverberations across time

       and place and circumstance.

Every prayer to the Almighty is

    not hidden away in a drawer

           like a memory,

but stored in golden bowls

      --beautiful in God's sight--

  our requests, our thoughts,

  our pleas for help and mercy,

  our conversations,

  our praises and thanks,

  our time walking with Him.

Precious to Him.)

O LORD,

We come before You

  with so much on our minds

             and hearts.

We praise You

  because You listen and respond.

We are in awe

  because You love us so much.

Thank You that we can pray,

   and spend time with You,

   wherever we are,

   unbounded by time or place

            or request.

Walk with us into this day.

Help us not just to pray,

    but to listen.

And know that You already do.

No Fear In That

 

The fear of man

      lays a snare,

but whoever trusts in the LORD

                     is safe.

                  Proverbs 29. 25

(One guarantee in this life is that

       fear will always trip us up,

       always take us

              down a dead end road,

       and always deflate our tires.

That is why God says

             over and over in Scripture,

    "Do not fear.

     I am with you."

When we trust God instead,

we live differently

   because we see differently.

Circumstances do not define us,

        nor distract, nor defeat,

but we can navigate with assurance

            whatever unfolds,

    because God has His hand on us.

We grasp the promise of Emmanuel:

                God with us.

Fear threatens and screams,

    but only God can bring us through.

There will be cliffs and potholes,

but we walk with the Almighty.

     He is with us even then.)

O LORD,

We take you up on Your promise

    that You are with us.

And that changes everything.

Help us to not just face circumstances,

        or difficult people,

        or overwhelming odds,

but to respond to those hard things,

     hand in hand with You.

Please help us to respond

   with unexpected grace

and not be ambushed by fear.

This hard situation is

             not the end of the story,

but an integral thread

                      of Your redeeming,

replacing fear with

                  Your glory and honor.

Even In The Overwhelming

I do not occupy myself

with things too great and

   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

(It is in the overwhelming

       of every kind and flavor

that we realize

         our utter need for God.

We are not in change

                     or control.

      But He is.

God sings His Presence over us.

God does not just say,

          "Now settle down!"

He comes to us, calms us,

  strengthens us with

              His strength,

and says,

   "Do not fear.  I am with you."

           Even in this hard place.

We are not alone after all,

                but deeply loved.

This scary situation

    is not the end of the story,

but an integral thread

           of His redeeming.)

O LORD,

Even the older we get,

   we are scared little kids.

We need You.

Thank You that 

   You are a loving Father.

Thank You that

    You walk with us

    in the ordinary

          and the impossible.

We know not what to do,

   but we can come to You.

When we abide in You,

   nothing can remain the same.

Because we know You

       and trust You,

we do not just see

  our circumstances differently.

We respond differently,

  because we confide in You.

You are our comfort.

You are our strength.

You wait for us

            with open arms.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

What Do We See, What Do We Seek?

 

Seek good and not evil,

   that you may live;

and so the LORD,

   the God of hosts

   will be with you.

Hate evil and love good,

   and establish justice

   in the gate.

               Amos 5. 14-15

(Seek after good, go after it,

pursue it, love it, find it,

                   and do it.

What does that look like

    in this day before us?

Goodness does not just arrive

    on the doorstep

    with our names on it.

But when we seek the good,

  not just our own,

  but the welfare of many people,

            life is very different.

We realize God's Presence,

   His provision, protection,

and ever more how to respond

  to the brokenness of this world.

He is with us all the way.

His goodness is sustaining,

   even in unlikely places.)

O LORD,

The day may look impossible

   and not without a struggle,

but we can see You in it.

Help us to seek You,

    follow You,

    respond to You,

as You spread Your great goodness

       over the darkness

       and penetrate every detail.

Go before us,

                be with us.

You do not just do good.

           You are good, Almighty One.

You heal.

You redeem.

May we stand before You

         in awe.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Sheer Endurance

 

Do not fear

  what you are about

  to suffer.

              Revelation 2. 10

(Everyone struggles

                  with something.

But as believers,

   we can face the hard stuff

   not imperviously,

            but responsive.

Stand firm,

hold tight to Jesus's hand,

endure,

even be strengthened by it.

Let God redeem the hardship

          for greater good.

God does not promise

  that life will be easy

  in this broken world,

but "Do not be afraid.

        I am with you."

Practice His Presence,

    scoot closer to Him

    on the every days,

that we will know Him

   in the extraordinary.)

O LORD,

Thank You, dear Father,

that You are with us

   through thick and thin.

We can know You,

   Your Presence,

   Your protection,

   Your provision,

even in unexpected ways,

    unlikely places,

and in the hard stuff.

Help us with Your strength

    to respond differently

in Your name,

for Your Kingdom,

and for Your glory,

             even in this.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Even In Ways We Cannot Yet See

 

Blessed

  is everyone who fears the LORD,

           who walks in His ways.

You shall eat the fruit

     of the labor of your hands,

you shall be blessed,

and it shall be well with you.

               Psalm 128. 1-2

(When we walk with the LORD,

we see all things differently,

our circumstances, other people,

     even our hard stuff.

What we do matters after all

           in significant ways.

God bears amazing fruit

        even in unexpected places.

God blesses others through us.

Sticking with the LORD,

     seeking Him even in the ordinary,

trusting Him,

and He changes every day

         the course of our lives.)

O LORD,

Even in ways we cannot yet see,

              or imagine,

       You redeem for great good.

Help us to know

       that what is before us even today.

    When we walk with You through it,

             You weave Your extraordinary

             in what we do.

You help us to approach and navigate

     all things with a fresh heart

     focused on You.

We see You differently.

We see all of life differently.

We are blessed,

      even in the midst of difficulty.

Align, Almighty One,

          our hearts with Yours.

Bumper Crop

 

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

(What am I sowing? What am I seeking?

Life is very different

        --it cannot remain the same--

   when we seek the LORD.

God seeps in and alters our choices,

   what we do, how we respond,

   what we love and how we love,

and ultimately what fruit God bears

        in our lives and through us.

God changes our hearts

                 but not in isolation.

Everyone around us

  and those we don't even know

  are impacted for generations.

The seeds we plant

        keep on producing fruit

        far beyond our lifetimes.)

O LORD,

Please help us

to be aware and responsive

    to the fallow ground around us.

Empower us to break up the hardness,

      nurture the soil of souls,

sow Your Word, love and grace,

and cover those around us

                       with prayer.

Help us to take root downward

  that You, O God, bear fruit upward

        in unexpected ways and lives,

knowing that most fruit

    we will never see this side of life.

But we can trust You

     to bring Your glory to this.

Carry A Big Umbrella

 

Let us know,

let us press on

    to know the LORD;

His going out is

        sure as the dawn;

He will come to us

   as the showers,

as the spring rains that

              water the earth.

            Hosea 6. 3

(Even in this hard situation

          we are facing today,

even in the impossible places,

       the drought and despair,

God has gone out before us.

He will nurture us

        in unexpected dimensions.

He has prepared His way,

     even in uncharted territory,

     even in familiar surroundings.

We have only to be faithful

          in walking with Him

   and pressing on to know Him more.

We maybe standing in a barren place,

   but His grace will cover us

   like a refreshing rain

          changes the landscape.

Not just in future tense,

                      but now.)

O LORD,

We press on to know You more.

You are our God.

May Your Presence change

   the very course of our lives.

Help us to trust You,

   that even in the hard places,

              You are working still.

You are nurturing our souls.

You are bearing fruit in our lives.

You are bringing forth

               Your glory.

Even in this desert,

   Your steadfast love prevails.

Thank You that

     we can walk with You

and carry a big umbrella.

Our Calling Card

 

...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

(Repeated over and over

               in Scripture,

in all shapes and forms

   --love one another,

      love your neighbor,

      love the stranger,

      love even our enemies,

those we may not like

         or don't like us.

What does it take?

    The very love of God.

Not something we can

              do on our own,

but in His love and wisdom

         and strength.

How differently this world

                 would look

   if we took God at His Word?)

O LORD,

We seek to do Your will,

and realize that You have told us:

           love one another.

Please show us today

    how to tangibly do that

    in word and deed

                  and attitude.

Help us to

   bring the name and love

   and grace of Jesus here.

May we be known by You

     and known as Yours

because we love

            in unexpected ways

         and in unlikely places.

Reveal to us the opportunities

    and means to do so.

Hidden Doors to Something New

 

...and make the Valley of Achor

        a door of hope.

                Hosea 2. 15

(We are not stuck here

      in this miry bog

      or deep valley of despair.

God redeems the broken

            and troubled places

and reveals His hope 

     right here in the midst.

Life can be very different,

   even in the hard stuff.

He does not necessarily provide

              a door of escape

              but always of enduring,

   a new strengthened heart

   even in familiar surroundings.

We don't just face the difficulty,

      but walk with Him in it.

And that changes everything.)

O LORD,

We are all surrounded by

      troubled situations,

      in one manner or another,

           things visible to others,

     and monumental issues

                no one else can see.

Open to us Your way

          and Your redeeming in this.

Help us to know

        that hope is not

        just wishful thinking,

but in Your hope

         we can stake our lives.

Open Your way to us

       even in impossible situations

   that we can follow You into it.

Be Thou our vision

    that we would trust You

    as you reveal open doors

 all around us,

          Your redemptive way in this.

Keep Walking

 

I heard,

   but I did not understand.

Then I said, "O my lord,

   what shall be

   the outcome of these things?

He said,

       "Go your way, Daniel...."

              Daniel 12. 8

(We will not understand everything,

      but we can trust God.

We cannot know the outcome,

      because God never works

             in singular outcomes.

   We are not capable to grasp it.

But God has placed us here,

       each one strategically,

to go in His appointed way for us,

to be faithful to Him in all ways,

to follow Him and serve,

to love even the impossible ones,

to bring His name here,

          that He is glorified.

Even in this.)

O LORD,

We lift our eyes to You,

not to circumstances or solutions,

   or to our own way in this,

                  but to You.

You empower us to be responsive

   because we walk with You

   up this hard and rocky road

               with Your strength.

Please help us to go Your way.

We need not be in control,

              because You are.

You assure us,

   "Here I am.  Do not fear.

    I am with You."

We need not walk this way alone.

How We Stand

 

...but the people who

            know their God

shall stand firm

   and take action.

            Daniel 11. 32

(If we love God,

             we are changed.

We can't just

    stand here unresponsive.

Those who choose to be faithful,

   live out their faithfulness to God,

   no matter the circumstances,

to push back against the darkness

        and disorder and despair,

and bring healing to the brokenness.

God has strategically placed us

                       even today

   for the sake of His name

and the building of His Kingdom,

            one grace at a time.)

O LORD,

Please help us to stand firm

     and take action,

because You have

       given us Your strength in this.

May You be revealed to others

   by what we love and adore,

reflective in what we choose

         to do and to be.

No grace too small,

    no kindness insignificant.

Please be glorified

      through our choices today.

And give us Your strength

        to live that way.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Even While We Pray

 

Fear not, Daniel,

for from the first day

   that you set your heart

   to understand 

and humble yourself

             before your God,

your words have been heard.

              Daniel 10. 12

(When we set our eyes on God

   and stake our lives on Him,

something radical

        and extraordinary unfolds.

If we only realized that,

we would never hesitate

                         to pray.

When we pray,

        even while we pray,

great and mighty things happen.

Our words are not stagnant,

    but heard by the Almighty,

and He is powerfully working.)

O LORD,

Please help us to know

   that You do not just hear us,

   but that You greatly love us.

You may or may not change

       our circumstances,

but You always change our hearts.

We cannot but be altered

       when we pray to You.

Grant to us the strength we need

          in this day,

far beyond what we have alone.

Let us realize Your Presence.

Thank You for loving us

    and guiding us in Your ways.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

The Other Side of Trust

 

...but the one

who trusts in the LORD

         will be enriched.

         Proverbs 28. 25

(When we trust God

          in our days,

    all along our paths,

our lives cannot remain the same.

God changes our vision.

God changes our hearts.

We walk in the extraordinary,

    even in the most familiar.

God appoints.

God anoints.

He changes our lives

      by changing our loves.)

O LORD,

You have strengthened

               and sustained us

    through the hard places

    and in the joyful ones.

Please help us to trust You

        all the more,

knowing that You are working

    even in ways we cannot grasp.

You enrich our lives

       by knowing You.

Help us to trust You in the known

         and the unknown,

because it is not unknown to You.

Bring Your glory to this day

                 in all we do.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

But Who's Counting?

 

Seven times a day

       I praise You...

        Psalm 119. 164

(What if

   --the big what if

     that changes what we do

     and who we are --

we embedded prayer and praise

   throughout our days like that?

Responding to what we see,

   hear and experience

            with praying and praising

   instead of griping and worrying

              and freaking out.

Even in those things too hard for us,

  acknowledging His Presence

  and rejoicing in His strength.

How differently we would live

                   and interact.

How differently we would see God,

      others, circumstances,

      or even ourselves right where we are.

In Scripture, the number seven

      represents completeness

      or the linear journey from 1 to 7.

Our worship is woven

    into the fabric of the universe

    and seamlessly into our days.)

O LORD,

We come to You

   with petitions and praise.

Please help us

    be aware of You

    at every turn of our days,

giving thanks to You,

   even when we don't understand.

Align our hearts to You

   in all we encounter and pursue

                   in this very day.

Cover it all with Your glory.

Not Just A Habit

 

When Daniel knew

   the document had been signed,

he went to his house

where he had windows

       in his upper chamber

       open to 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

(Prayer was not just a ritual

            nor a habit for Daniel,

but a lifeline of survival,

    every day,

    three times a day,

            not just in crisis.

Daniel knew how to respond

           to circumstances,

because he trusted God,

   over and over again.)

O LORD,

You do not promise us

   that life will be easy,

but to not fear

       because You are with us.

Please help us to

         hold onto You

         with both hands.

Guide us in our thoughts

         and actions

as we stake our lives on You.

You are near, Almighty One.

May we never forget that.

God's Strategic Positioning System

 

You are that Daniel,

one of the exiles of Judah,

who the king my father

        brought from Judah.

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. 13-14

(Far more than a one's habits

                  or daily practices,

          or reputation,

     what is visible is

           God's dwelling in us.

We cannot help

            but live differently.

We are each called by God

                    by name

to be a strong witness for Him

   wherever we are or go today,

strategically positioned

          for His divine appointments

                  and sacred encounters,

          His holy purposes,

          and for His glory.)

O LORD,

Does anyone see anything different

                   in us

by how we respond

         in volatile situations,

         with impossible people.

   simply because we love You?

Thank You for where

          You place us today.

Grant to us a place of strengthening

       and Your courage to go forth,

to bring light to the darkness

              and healing to the broken.

Casting Out of Reach

 

... casting all your anxieties

                     on Him

because He cares for you.

                 1 Peter 5. 7

(In Greek, all means

          exactly that:  all.

What favorite anxieties

       are we holding onto?

They do nothing

        but clog up our thoughts

        and trip us up.

God never intended for fear and worry

       to distract us

       or for us to carry.

God has much bigger things

                    for us to do

    than to drag anxiety along.

God gives us His strength,

       and wisdom in exchange.)

O LORD,

May we acknowledge Your love for us

    by being mindful of You in all things.

When we dwell on You,

   You change what we think about,

what we do,

          how we do it,

    and how we respond.

Show us how to live differently today.

May our lives be marked

   by Your strength in us

   and Your Presence with us

      which cannot be explained away..

We are eyewitnesses of Your majesty.

No Exclusions

 

...in order that in everything

    God may be glorified

    through Jesus Christ.

 

              1 Peter 4. 11

(In everything,

    individually,

    collectively,

         any and all,

in what seems obvious,

even in the unexpected

    and in strange situations,

may God be glorified

          in all that we do.

The big picture is made up

    of even the tiniest details,

    which are never insignificant.

What is our aim in this?

    Our own glory or His?)

O LORD,

We ask that Your glory

        cover, influence,

   and infiltrate all that we do.

May You not just appear important,

          nor prominent in our choices

       but preeminent in our lives,

by what we love

      and how we serve You

   in responding to others

              and loving them.

What We Don't Even Know To Ask

 

He reveals deep and hidden things;

He knows what is in the darkness,

       and the light dwells with Him.

                     Daniel 2. 22

(The unknown is

        not unknown to God.

When we seek Him

         and not just an answer,

   God helps us see in the dark.

He does not give us

            the entire picture,

   but the light we need

      for our next step.

When we walk with Him

            and toward Him,

He reveals what we

    don't even know to ask.)

O LORD,

It is so reassuring to

       not just know You

   but to trust You,

even in the shadowlands,

even in what we cannot understand,

even in what is

        way too deep for us.

Embrace us by Your Presence.

Grant to us Your light.

   Help us to seek You

         in the darkness,

knowing You are with us

                        still.

Fruit of the Month Club

 

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.

                   Ezekiel 47. 12

(The source of our sustenance

                and strength

       is from the LORD.

Wherever we are,

   take root downward,

                 bear fruit upward.

God changes the landscape

          through us

and provides for the welfare

                 of many people.

Worship changes us

     in multiple dimensions.)

O LORD,

May we bear witness to the gospel

    by bringing fresh fruit

             with overflowing bushels

    to hard situations.

Please help us to respond unexpectedly

             even in drought

with goodness, grace,

                  love and mercy.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Step by Step by Step

 

...and I shall walk in a wide place,

for I have sought Your precepts.

                  Psalm 119. 45

(Even in impossible

     and improbable places,

God guides us step by step.

We can trust Him even more.

Not that the trail will be easy,

   but He walks with us.

And that makes all the difference.)

O LORD,

Even in the high and scary places,

even where we can't

         touch the bottom of the pool,

even in what we cannot understand,

    You are with us.

We can trust You in this step

    and then the next.

Fear just blocks out the light,

    and worry trips us up.

But You, O LORD,

     guide us in Your ways.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Do The Math

 

May grace and peace

   be multiplied to you.

              1 Peter 1.2

(God always works

    in higher math.

God does not just add,

   but multiplies

   far beyond our understanding.

We cannot even

          count that high.

And God uses us

   to bring grace and peace

   to the most unlikely places

and among impossible people.)

O LORD,

How differently we would approach

    the situation before us,

if we walked with You through it.

Please bring Your grace and peace

  and multiply Your glory.

Even in this.

Even now.

Help us to realize that there are

     a lot more moving parts

     and variables

and dimensions only You can see.

Help us to be bearers of grace

    and watch You multiply.

A Lot More Going On Than We Can See

 

The prayer of the righteous person

has great power

               as it is working.

               James 5. 16

(The key words here are

          as it is working.

Prayer is a matter of 

           trusting God in this,

   trusting God that He is working,

   and trusting Him with

      His timing, His ways,

         and His millions of outcomes,

   most of which exceed 

         our myopic vision.

It is not just

      what we pray,

but how praying about it,

      changes us too.

We have no idea how powerful

     prayer impacts us

     and everyone around us

                     for generations.

If we did, we would never

        be reluctant to pray.

Have I even considered

   praying about this situation?)

O LORD,

Please remind us

   that You are with us,

working in us and through us.

Help us not just

         remember to pray,

but to know that

         You are powerfully working.

We can trust You,

    even when we cannot

             see in the dark.

But we can pray.

   And know You more.

Your Presence changes

                everything.