What in the World is This For?

 

...for we must take of them

    to serve the LORD our God,

and we do not know with what

we must serve the LORD

         until we arrive there.

           Exodus 10. 26

(We all have experiences

   that we do not understand,

but that doesn't mean

   that they are random.

We have no idea

  how God is equipping us

  for what is now

        and what is next.

But the mysteries, mundane,

  extraordinary and ordinary,

are training us

               to serve the LORD.

No wasted efforts or moments.

"Nothin' for naught,"

     my grandmother used to say.

There is nothing

     He cannot use powerfully.

And someday we will realize,

     "Oh, that's why"

   that happened at that time,

   in that way,

               for His purposes

       and His glory.

We needed, after all,

  that experience, exercise,

  skill, or even what we saw

      as affliction at that time.

Just because it's hard

  doesn't mean it isn't

  right in the center of His will.)

O LORD,

You multiply Your wonders

through what we don't understand

   and in ways we don't expect.

Help us to serve You today

  even when we don't realize it.

You have a lot more in mind

  than we can ever imagine.

We just need to be faithful

    and trust You into it.

We don't know what we need,

      but suddenly it is there,

not knowing how You are using this,

                       but You are.

On that we can stake our lives.

For Your name's sake,

     even in this very day.

Right Here

 

...that you may know

that I am the LORD

in the midst of the earth.

            Exodus 8. 22

(What does it take for us

to realize, accept, acknowledge,

not just believe but to know,

that God is God

          and we are not?

   And live that way.

It is not that God might show up,

    or we must wait for Him to come,

but He is already here,

           right in our midst,

         right here with us.

How does that change

   how we see this day

           because He is here?

How then shall we live?)

O LORD,

You are strong.

You are mighty.

You are right here.

And that makes all the difference

     in how we live,

     in what we love,

     in how we respond.

Does anyone see

         that difference in us?

You have placed us here

     in this day

     and in this situation

to be a witness to others

         that You are here.

Let Your glory be known.

We Can't Count That High

 

Then Peter came up

       and said to Him,

"Lord, how often will

    my brother sin against me,

    and I forgive him?

    As many as seven times?"

Jesus said to him,

"I do not say to you seven times,

   but seventy times seven."

                  Matthew 19. 21-22

(Within Judaism,

     forgiving three times was

     considered sufficient.

Peter thought he was being

     gracious and generous.

But Jesus multiplies.

How many times?

Stop counting 

          and just forgive.

If we are counting,

     are we really forgiving?

Jesus multiplies,

   not just forgivenesses,

but its resounding effects

  through countless generations.)

O LORD,

When we don't forgive,

    we are the ones jailed by

    our hard unwilling hearts.

It cannot help but change

           who we are.

    You know that.

Help us not forgive

     out of obligation,

but from our hearts,

able only

   because You have forgiven us.

We cannot help

  but be changed by that as well.

Fill us with Your mercy today

  and be astonished by how much

  Your steadfast love cost You.

Forgive us.

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What We Carry

 

The LORD said to him,

    "What is that in your hand?"

He said, "A staff."

               Exodus 4. 2

(What can we do?

How can we serve our God?

God says, 

   "What have you got there?"

God gives to each of us

      what we need to fulfill

  what He wants us to do

                and to be.

Sometimes an ability,

sometimes a place or equipment,

sometimes an unlikely situation,

sometimes the training,

         but always the strength.

And we bring our hearts to it.

In the Middle Ages,

    saints were always depicted

    with something in their hands

that represented their character

   or their work on earth.

For us, that might change daily --

    a skill, a love, an opportunity,

    an implement,

          or the courage to do it.

It is how we tangibly

              worship the Almighty

         with all our being.

Not to earn His love,

   but to express it to the world.)

O LORD,

Fill our hands and our hearts

   with what we need to

               bring You glory

   to this situation,

   to this work,

   and to this broken world.

Please help us to be mindful

   of our divine assignments

   as You reveal them to us,

even unanticipated tasks

     that plant sequoia seeds

     in desert places.

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Appropriate Footwear

 

...take your sandals

            off your feet,

for the place on which

   you are standing

         is holy ground.

          Exodus 3. 5

(Wherever we are

    and whatever we are doing

        are sacred in God's sight.

Even here.  Even in this.

Do we see appointments

    and encounters

    and even ordinary tasks

           as times of worship?

How would we approach

    this very situation before us,

not just recognizing God is in it,

   but as an opportunity

        for an outpouring of worship?

We are anointed and appointed

   to divine prearranged meetings,

invited to assignments

     that don't even appear holy

  to bring Him glory there.

What we wear

                    is worship.

Worshiping God changes us

   and always impacts others.)

O LORD,

We face our ordinary tasks

  and the unexpected today

          with a fresh heart

  and Your strength in it.

Grant us the awareness

  to worship You

  in all we do today,

in what we say,

  in how we respond to others,

and in how to navigate

  troubled waters with Your grace.

Help us to come before Your altar,

   lay our weaknesses there,

and take up Your glory

            into our world.

How To Not Miss Out

 

For you are not

   setting your mind

   on the things of God,

but on the things of man.

             Matthew 16. 23

(On whatever we set our minds,

    our hearts, our vision,

    our thoughts,

determines our path

               and our response

        to what is before us.

Setting our minds on God

   does not mean letting go

            but moving toward.

We may be buried by circumstances,

or consumed by degree of difficulty,

but when we decide 

                Jesus over everything,

  God reveals new dimensions

       already in place around us.

As we walk with Him,

  a thousand galaxies burst into view.

We see difficulty in this.

God sees His glory

   on so many different levels.

If we don't set our minds on Him,

   we are the ones

           who are missing out.)

O LORD,

We are too short and myopic

  to grasp Your grander narrative

  in what is before us.

Please help us

         set our minds on You

and not be distracted by

     what the world offers.

Please empower us

   to navigate these situations

   with a heart changed by You.

How different our course becomes

   if we set our minds on You.

The outcome and Your glory

          will astonish us.

Align our hearts and minds

           with Yours.

Running With The Horses

 

Some trust in chariots

   and some in horses,

but we trust in the name

   of the LORD our God.

They collapse and fall,

  but we rise

              and stand upright.

              Psalm 20. 7-8

(What happens when

   we trust not in our

   own abilities and strength,

not in self-crafted answers

             and outcomes,

nor in favorable circumstances,

not even trusting God for His ways

   and His unexpected victories,

          but trust Him.

In the Hebrew here, the word trust

         means to remember.

And therefore, trust

     goes backward and forward,

   remembered in our past,

experienced in the now,

and captured already 

          in what is to come.

God has our back,

   and He goes before us.

The Almighty is not about

       to abandon us now.

What happens when we 

    write His name all over this?

What happens when we

    pursue God even in this?

He brings about and unfolds

   what we cannot even imagine.

Even in overwhelming odds,

    we can rise and stand firm.

God is bringing about great good

    for the welfare of many.

We just need to

   accept His invitation.)

O LORD,

Why does it never occur to us

   to ask Your help

   and to trust what You are doing,

      and what You have done?

We may not have chariots

               and strong horses,

but we can pray

                     all we want.

You are good.

You do good.

You do not withhold good.

You bring the victory

        on so many levels.

And we need not a chariot

         or a team of horses,

                 but just You.

We give You the glory.

 

Going Round Trip

 

Do not be afraid

   to go down to Egypt...

I Myself will go down

   with you to Egypt,

and I will also

   bring you up again...

          Genesis 46. 3

(Walk with God round trip,

       there and back again.

We don't go alone.

This situation may be unfamiliar,

   but it is not unknown to Him.

God leads and invites us

    into His purposes,

even into what we cannot 

            see yet.

That is what trusting Him is about.

Trusting Him

            and not circumstances.

We have just to be faithful,

    right where we are,

in the strange or the familiar.

His purposes are never singular.

This may not be about

                     me at all,

    but impacting many lives.

But then again, it might.)

O LORD,

Please help us to keep

     our eyes on You,

and not be distracted

   or derailed by fear,

   both real or imagined.

Wherever You lead us

        into this day,

   or among whomever,

help us to trust You there.

Please bring Your fruitfulness

  even into situations

  we don't comprehend.

Empower us to walk with You

          all the way through.

But God

 

And God sent me before you

to preserve for you

       a remnant on earth,

and to keep alive for you

            many survivors.

So it was not you

   who sent me here,

                   but God.

                  Genesis 45. 7

(Why are we here

     in this hard, foreign place?

Strategically positioned by God.

God redeems even what

        we cannot understand.

His purposes are widespread,

deep and far beyond

         our comprehension

         or abilities on our own.

Faithfulness to God

  always impacts others

  in uncountable ways,

far more than we will ever know

  until the other side of life.

We are His hands and feet

         and witness

in unexpected common ways

and unlikely extraordinary places.

Even today.

Even here.)

O LORD,

Help us to cling to the reality

        of who You are.

You have placed us here

    for Your purposes today

  that will reverberate

        through many generations,

even among those

         we don't even know yet.

We have not randomly

      wandered into this situation

      or to this place,

but You, O God,

     have sent us here.

Empower us to be faithful

  in all that we do today.

In Your name.

For Your purposes.

For Your glory.

           Even in this today.

   

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Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet

 

And He did not do

   many mighty works there,

because of their unbelief.

              Matthew 13. 58

(And even if Jesus did

           something extraordinary,

  would they recognize

    a mighty work if they saw it?

                 Do we?

When we walk with Jesus,

  He opens out eyes

  to His incredible works

      all around us every day

that which we have

           never seen before,

     or acknowledged His hand.

Even the smallest things resound

        throughout eternity.

And we ain't seen nothin' yet.)

O LORD,

Open our eyes,

tenderize our hearts,

make us aware

    of Your Presence

and Your mighty works,

        even today.,

        even in this situation.

Help us to be a witness

   to others by what we see

       and how we trust You.

You empower us

        to see in the dark.

And to recognize

    Your supernatural work,

because that is 

the only way You work,

   nothing too great or small..

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Just A Strength Workout

 

Joseph called the name

  of the firstborn Manasseh,

"For," he said, "God has made me

   forget all my hardship....."

The name of the second

        he called Ephraim,

"For God has made me fruitful

   in the land of my affliction."

                 Genesis 41. 51-52

(All his devastating troubles

   became Joseph's training ground

          for such a time as this.

God built up in him

     strength upon strength.

Faithfulness always produces

   God's fruitfulness

             --seamlessly linked

    in a million uncountable ways.

Even in what is hard,

  God uses us

              for His greater good,

   far beyond 

       what we will ever know.

In Hebrew, Ephraim sounds like

   the word for making fruitful,

not a singular outcome

     but continual growth.)

O LORD,

In the hard stuff, the difficult,

   the we can't understand this,

   You are still powerfully working.

Help us learn to trust You more

                 even in this.

You have not abandoned us

   but are strengthening us

not just for the now,

   but continually working out our muscles

            for what is to come

   and for Your Kingdom.

We are not there yet,

              but we are growing

Be fruitful in us this day

  in all our endeavors,

        both great and small.

Help us to navigate affliction

             differently

because You walk with us.

Unexpected Appointments

 

The LORD was with Joseph,

and he became

   a successful man,

and he was in the house

   of his Egyptian master.

              Genesis 39. 2

(No matter

    the extenuating situations,

as a slave and prisoner,

being sold by his brothers

   into a foreign culture,

and this unexpected and unlikely

 change of venue and events,

Joseph chose to

   follow God and trust Him,

                 even in this.

The word successful in Hebrew

    means to flourish and prosper,

not dependent in a material sense

            or favorable circumstances,

      but a heart condition.

The phrase "he became"

  shows not what came naturally,

    but a supernatural process,

  growing in relationship with God.

Joseph staked his very life on

   "God is with me."

What fresh choices would we make

   if we saw God differently like that?

And as a result, see others, ourselves

   and our own daily appointments?

What are we choosing and doing

   that we would flourish,

             if not for God?)

O LORD,

Thank You for the witness

    and Joseph's unfolding story

to give us courage in our own,

   and see how You too 

    turn our lives right side up.

Help us to realize that

           trusting You

changes how we 

         see our circumstances.

Help us prepare Your way

      in others' lives

by being a witness with

  unexpected grace

          in an unlikely place.

May we trust You

  and Your strategic appointing.

We stand amazed

  at Your work in our lives.

We give you all the credit

         and all the glory.

        

   

  

Multiplication Facts

 

The sorrows of those

who run after another god

            shall multiply.

             Psalm 16. 4

(Know your multiplication facts.

"Little g" gods come in packs,

   screaming, "I will make you happy.

   I will make the problems go away,"

   just adding to confusion

                   and despair.

In their hands, 

our sorrows do not diminish

    but multiply exponentially.

 If we don't worship God,

   lesser gods strive to take 

                God's rightful place.

And as Psalm 16.2 states,

we have no good apart from God.

Only God can heal and redeem.

He has a strong hold on us.)

O LORD,

Help us when we are surrounded

    by sorrows

    to run right after You.

May we know that

           You alone are good.

You are the antidote

      for our sorrows.

You join us in our sufferings

    to give us Your strength.

We can stake our lives on You,

  even in what we face today.

If things are going to be different....

 

Put away the foreign gods

   that are among you

and purify yourselves

and change your garments.

               Genesis 35. 2

(If things are going to be different,

      something has to change.

      And that would be our hearts.

If we are going to follow God  

   and not trip over idols,

we need to clean house,

not moving our affections about

   like so much baggage,

but get rid of those 

          precious things (plural)

  that distract or attract us

              away from God,

those innocent little g gods 

  we secretly or blatantly worship

  in place of the Almighty.

Then, wash our hands of them.

   And change our clothes.

Who or what we worship

     is evident to others

   as much as what we wear.

As James K. A. Smith says,

   "We are what we love."

Are we even aware of

  the algorithms that govern us?)

O LORD,

Make us sensitive today

   not just of Your Presence,

but what we are

          tripping over.

Help us to recognize

         our loves.

May our love for You

   change everything about us

in what we choose,

in how we treat others,

     even in our attitudes.

Help us to change our garments

   that we would be

       a witness to others

of Whom we worship.

  

Marathon Training Plan

 

But Esau ran to meet him

      and embraced him....

            Genesis 33. 4

(That was not at all what 

  Jacob deserved or expected.

But this is how

         to extend grace

---unmerited favor---

to those who have

               done us wrong.

Run.

Set aside wounds and pride

     and run towards them,

a visible sign of both grace

              and forgiveness.

The natural inclination is

   to make them crawl to us.

But the supernatural

     is not waiting for them

                   to grovel,

    but reaching out our hand

          and heart toward them.

As Christ followers,

            we train differently.

Practice running

             in the everydays.)

O LORD,

You run to meet us

   and embrace us with Your love.

You don't just accept us

             in our messy state,

but You call us Yours

   and invite us to dwell with You.

Strengthen our running muscles

   and fill our hearts with love

that empowers us to heal.

Help us to realize that

  an act of grace towards others

does not just change them,

    but changes us too.

May I Refresh Your Drink?

 

And whoever gives

   one of these little ones

even a cup of cold water,

because he is a disciple,

truly, I say to you,

he will by no means

         lose his reward.

           Matthew 10. 42

(Jesus asks us,

What are we doing differently,

   or with a new heart,

   or able to be selfless,

because we are

          His disciples?

Do our lives look different 

than anyone else

      by the choices we make

in our work, words,

attitudes, and response?

Are we practicing grace

   in unexpected ways?

What cup of cold water

   can we give in this situation

or even to this person

   we may not even like?

Chick fil A workers respond,

   "May I refresh your drink?"

No kindness is

          ever insignificant.)

O LORD,

Grant us the courage

            and awareness

  to practice grace

     in unlikely places

     and unexpected ways.

Empower us

   to see others

   as You see them.

Help us to be

     not just Your hands and feet,

but have the mind

    and heart of Christ.

And thereby surprise others

       with Your grace.

The Grand Whatevers

 

Now then,

whatever God has said to you,

               do.

            Genesis 31. 16

(That's where daily praying comes in,

laying out our cares and troubles,

complicated situations,

and even joys before God,

                  as we pray.

Give praying the margin

           to sink in.

And then listen and respond.

When we pray,

God realigns our hearts

   and sharpens our vision.

How can we handle this

     with a new spirit,

  because we prayed?

       To be a faithful witness.

What whatever has God placed

     before us today?

The menu changes daily.)

O LORD,

Please help us to

   stop just talking about it,

      but hold Your hand

       and respond to You.

Help us to not argue ,

        nor complain,

  nor insert our own ideas

                 or excuses,

but to follow You

    into Your sacred purposes.

We cannot see

       around the next bend.

But You, Almighty One,

 encompass all eternity.

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There and Back Again

 

While He was saying

      these things to them...

And as Jesus passed on

               from there....

As they were going away....

And Jesus went throughout

      all the cities and villages....

       Matthew 9. 18, 27, 32, 35

(Our serving God,

bearing witness

       and being faithful

are not restricted to a specific,

    so-called "ministry,"

          but to all of life.

God multiplies

   in all our comings and goings,

there and back again,

            wherever we are,

aware of unexpected

            divine appointments

   and sacred encounters

to bring the love and grace

            of Jesus there.

Jesus was not surprised by

    who He just happened

    to run into.

           Neither should we.

There are no chance meetings,

   no casual conversations

        even with a store clerk,

   no running into's,

         in God's economy.

We can never know

from outward appearances,

   how desperately someone

               is seeking Him.

But we can be alert

     and seize that moment.

And God reminds us,

"Walk with Me differently

       in this situation.")

O LORD,

Align our hearts with Yours

  and realign our vision

that we will both see

                and respond

      with a fresh heart.

Love, not apathy.

Grace, not criticism.

You are not just in this place,

    but we are

    because You directed us here.

Please help us

    to pay attention

wherever You take us today.

And see divine encounters

           all around us.

    

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Tent Sites

 

So he built an altar there

and called upon

     the name of the LORD

and pitched his tent there.

            Genesis 26. 25

(God guides us

   from one place to another,

sometimes into the unexpected,

   sometimes right where we are.

Wherever He leads,

   in whatever He has placed

                        before us,

          worship Him first.

That changes everything.

God does not just guide us.

    He anoints and appoints us

not just in what to do,

    but to be His.

On the journey of following,

on the journey of worshiping Him,

   God changes our hearts

   to see something different.

Worship and dwell.

Be present and

   recognize His Presence.

Not looking for another new door,

     but pitch our tents.)

O LORD,

May we worship You

    first thing today

and in this place,

   praise, pray,

   and put on our shoes

     to follow You into it.

Align our hearts with Yours

   into usual assignments

   and unusual encounters.

May others plainly see

   that we have spent time

                     with You.

May we realize

                the same,

   in our hearts a new muscle,

in what we do,

in what we say,

and how You have altered

       even our attitudes.

For Your glory

     over all things,

     great and small.

     

An Unexpected Bumper Crop

 

And Isaac sowed in that land

and reaped in the same year

           a hundredfold.

The LORD blessed him.

          Genesis 26. 12

(What in the world

         am I doing here?

God brings His fruitfulness

  even to barren places

  where nothing is expected

       to survive and grow.

God always multiplies

    in some way or a millionfold

our faithfulness

        in following Him into it.

We have no idea

    what God is doing through us,

but we can trust Him that He is,

      because He always does.

And acknowledge His hand

              holding ours in His.

The results are not in us,

         but God.

And God never works

       in singular outcomes.

What can I do here today

             in this situation?

Be faithful to Him.)

O LORD,

Please help us to sow today

   every place You take us.

May we look to You

     in the familiar and the foreign,

     in the comfortable

         and the struggles.

Help us not react to circumstances,

           but respond to You,

knowing that we may not

     even recognize

     what kind of fruit this is,

     nor realize who it is for.

May we set aside our pride

       and big ideas

and begin sowing and growing

   right where we are,

even among the rocks

          and rebellious.

You bring the fruit

    and the awe to it,

             Almighty One.

We have only to be faithful

   in what is before us today.

 

Lean on Me

 

Trust in the LORD

   with all your heart,

and do not lean on

   your own understanding.

In all your ways

         acknowledge Him,

and He will make straight

                your paths.

           Proverbs 3. 5-6

(How does this verse

     impact us today

in this situation before us,

in what we approach,

     how we navigate,

     and how we follow Him?

When we trust Him,

 lean and acknowledge

    with all our heart,

    and all our ways,

God walks with us

   to a different place

     even right where we are.

We may never understand,

       but we can trust Him.

No matter what happens,

  life with Jesus

  should look very different.

He does not just

                direct our paths.

He is with us all the way.

We don't lean on

   our own understanding.

        We lean on Him.)

O LORD,

Please help us to

      lean on You today

in all that is before us,

that we would honor You

    right down to our attitude.

May we be faithful to You

           in all our ways.

Transform our hearts

  that we would fulfill

       the deeper side of this.

Anoint and appoint us today.

Little Patch of Ground

 

From there Abraham journeyed toward

  the territory of the Negeb

and lived between Kadesh and Shur,

and he sojourned in Gerar.

                       Genesis 20.1

(God guides us to places,

situations, people,

even patches of ground

    beneath our feet

    on which to be faithful.

To go

         or sow

         or grow in His name there.

Our location doesn't have to change

  for our hearts to be different there.

Even the wilderness

      is not a barren land,

  but full of wonders planted there.

Not focusing on what is next,

   or where God is leading us,

      but where we are today.

Journey toward,

live between,

    and sojourn in.)

O LORD,

Place before us this day

    not just what to do,

    but remind us

             who to be.

We are Yours.

Please help us

  to bring Your name

  wherever we go today,

  among whomever,

and in this unlikely field

    to dig out rocks,

        sow Your Word,

show others and ourselves

   what Your grace looks like.

Use us on this little patch 

             of Your Kingdom

 to be faithful there

     in unexpected ways.

Best Antidote

 

Therefore, I tell you,

do not be anxious about your life:

what you will eat

or what you will drink,

nor about your body,

what you will put on.....

But seek first the Kingdom of God

     and His righteousness,

and all these things

     will be added to you.

             Matthew 7. 25, 33

(Anxiety, worry and stress

          are nothing new.

They drain

   every drop of your energy

and take over every square inch

           or our thoughts,

    masquerading as our friends.

But God gives us the antidote:

   "Do this instead.

    Seek Me

      and I will take care of you."

When we seek God first,

   He shows us the way through

   the darkness and confusion

              and quick sand

with a wisdom and strength

  that are not our own.

Fear does nothing but

             deflate our tires,

promising us a free ride, and then

 drops us over a

                        cliff.)

O LORD,

How many millions of times

   do you have to tell us

   "Do not fear.  I am with you."

Please help us to know

   that life can be so different

                when we trust You.

Empower us to tell fear

      "You are not welcome here."

When we seek You,

   You provide in ways

   we could never expect.

You do not just open doors.

      You open our hearts.

So Do We

 

When Abram was 99 years old,

the LORD appeared to Abram

and said to him,

"I am God Almighty,

walk before Me

   and be blameless,

that I may make My covenant

   between Me and you,

and may multiply you greatly."

            Genesis 17. 1

(Everything up to this point

was preparing and training him

for God's incredible purposes.

Abram had no clue.

But in God's unexpected ways, 

        and in His exact timing,

  Abram would know

  beyond a shadow of a doubt

       who is this God 

       whom he is worshiping.

And Abram would need that.

             So do we.

How differently would we live

  if we saw God

        and trusted Him

not for something   

   but as the Almighty?)

O LORD,

You see us far clearly

     than we see ourselves.

You hear us.

And You multiply beyond 

        what we are capable

        on our own.

You unfold what is

             all around us

and in the darkness,

  You provide the next step.

Even while we pray

  and as we trust You

  into what appears impossible,

  You are changing our hearts.

You are the Almighty One.

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Second Miles

 

And if anyone forces you

        to go one mile,

go with him

                  two miles.

          Matthew 5. 41

(Bring the snacks

       and a good attitude.

The activity is secondary

    to the relationship.

The faithful see

      beyond an obligation

      to an opportunity

             to serve God

      and love someone to Him.

Not a trudge or a grudge,

   but a divine appointment.)

O LORD,

Direct our feet to walk with

                someone else

   through their miry bog.

Align our hearts with Yours.

Re-align our vision

    to serve You in this situation.

Help us to wear the right shoes

      and a scarf of faithfulness

      into what You have

                placed before us,

      even on the detours.

Empower us

    not just to see in the dark,

but to hold someone's hand there.

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What Is An Altar Doing Here?

 

And there he built

   an altar to the LORD

and called upon

   the name of the LORD.

           Genesis 12. 8

(First things first,

wherever we are,

  in whatever work

      God places before us,

no matter the task,

   we can worship God

                 through it.

Write His name all over it.

What a difference that makes

  in why we do it

    and how we do it,

      the process, outcome

      and in our attitude.

When we walk with Him,

   God doesn't just open doors,

   but our hearts.)

O LORD,

Please help us to build an altar

     to You in this situation,

     in this work,

     in these difficult relationships.

May we bring You glory

    even in unexpected places,

    because we choose

              to worship You there.

May we sacrifice our pride

        on that altar

for the welfare of others,

for Your Kingdom,

      and in Your name.

But God

 

But God

   remembered Noah

and all the beasts

and all the livestock

that were with him

               in the ark.

            Genesis 8. 1

(When we follow God,

He does not abandon us there.

His eye, His hand,

   His Presence is upon us,

   no matter the circumstances.

The phrase But God

          changes everything

and makes all the difference

in the trajectory of this day

      and of our lives.

No matter the bad weather,

     the crowded boat,

     or how high the water,

                be faithful there.

God brings His fruitfulness.

"Trust Me in this."

   Even right where we are.)

O LORD,

Please help us to be faithful

   in whatever You place before us,

   in what You put on our hearts,

   faithful to You in all things.

And joyful that we

         do not walk alone.

Be fruitful and multiply

       Your goodness through us

in every encounter,

in every appointment,

in word and deed and attitude.

Please empower us to

   pray continually,

   live faithfully,

   love well,

and practice grace in this.

Walk with Me

 

Enoch walked with God...

             Genesis 5. 22

(That is the one thing

     God asks of us:

            Walk with Me.

That daily practice far exceeds

 any agenda, goals, resolutions,

way beyond what we can

    imagine or expect.

After a long list of generations,

Enoch's life is distinguished by

  his long-going walk with God,

a relationship which infiltrated

   who he was, what he did and said,

   and how he approached

   circumstances, great and small.

He did not live as if

             he walked alone.

Walking means not an occasional stroll,

    but a manner of life.

Even the word "with" in Hebrew

   means near, together with,

   and in relationship.

By what are we known?

How does that change how we

    respond and navigate today?)

O LORD,

Of all the things swirling around,

the tasks and responsibilities,

   the joys and really hard stuff,

the one thing essential is that

          we walk with You in it.

Anoint our hearts with

    Your strength and grace.

Please help us to respond

     to Your appointments,

those we anticipate and

     even the unexpected ones.

Empower us to tie on our shoes

          and walk today with You.

One step and then another.

Changes That Stick

 

Blessed are all

who take refuge in Him.

           Psalm 2. 12

(It is not the huge resolutions

    that change our course,

but what we consider

          as "little" choices.

Those are the ones

               that stick.

Which way do we choose,

    which attitude to take,

    what to say,

            and what to do?

A refuge is

    not a place to hide,

but to be nourished

and strengthened

             to go forth.

God does not just

          meet us there.

He walks with us

          on the path.

And that changes

              everything.)

O LORD,

As we walk into this day,

the choices to make,

the work to do,

the words to craft,

even the attitudes we wear,

may You

         be the one thing

         we desire.

Guide our thoughts.

Order our way.

Re-order our affections.

Attract our attention.

Help us rest in You.

Out of Thin Air

 

In the beginning,

God created

    the heavens and the earth.

The earth was

     without form and void,

and darkness was over

    the face of the deep.

And the Spirit of God

          was hovering

over the face of the waters.

              Genesis 1. 1-2

(In the mystery and the

     unknown of our days

     and in this new year,

God brings order to our chaos,

healing to our brokenness,

redeems all things

               out of thin air,

and empowers us

       to see in the dark.

It is not that we

       lay our days before Him,

but He lays His days for us

         before us.

And reminds us over and over.

       "I am with you."

His Spirit is hovering,

               ready and waiting.

Every dawn is the beginning

          of another new year

         and another new day

with His Presence all over us.)

O LORD,

You walk with us.

You sing over us.

And when we delight in You,

we are not fazed by circumstances,

but able to respond to them

             with Your strength.

We see them

      with a new heart.

You enter our messiness,

     not with condemnation,

but with grace.

    "Let me help you with that."

And that

            changes everything.

You are the God

       of new beginnings,

our Redeemer of

        what has gone before

   and what is yet to come.

The unknown is

        not unknown to You.

Fresh New Year

 

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse,

that there may be food in My house.

And thereby put Me to the test,

          says the LORD of hosts,

if I will not open

      the windows of heaven for you,

and pour down for you a blessing

until there is no more need.

                Malachi 3. 10

(All who we are,

all we can do,

how we can fully respond

            to the gaps,

     broken places,

     hidden needs,

     and aching hearts.

God does not make it enough,

but by His fundamental law

                   of leftovers,

always more than

            we can imagine.

God multiplies.

God pours His blessing on us

   that we may pour

   His blessing on others,

every which way we can.)

O LORD,

We walk into this new day

   in this fresh new year

with lives that should look

              very different

because You have

    changed our hearts.

Please help us

   to bring Your love, grace

   and Your name

everywhere we can,

everywhere we go,

and worship You

   in all things,

      great and small.

Complete what You

   have appointed for us

as we follow You

        into what is

        not unknown to You.

Order our days.

Re-order our affections.

Draw our attention to You.