Very Large Stones, Not A Problem

And looking up

they saw that the stone

    had been rolled back

---it was very large.

             Mark 16. 4

(Jesus did not need the stone

to be rolled back

               to get out.

The stone needed to be moved,

so that we would know

   that He was no longer there.

He is who He said He is.

What is the big rock

     impending our view?

The verse says,

           look up.

Define the problem.

Respond with the gospel.

God opens a pathway

    and open doors

in unexpected places

        and impossible ways.

Very large stones,

             not a problem.)

O LORD,

Thank You that the tomb was empty.

Thank You for what that cost You.

Thank You that nothing but nothing

       can keep us from You.

Help us to see every part of life

    through the lens of the gospel,

not that every part fits,

but every part was designed that way.

May we trust You

  even when rocks block our way.

 

Never Unnoticed

 

Joseph of Arimathea,

a respected member

          of the Council,

who was also himself looking

   for the kingdom of God,

took courage

and went to Pilate and asked

    for the body of Jesus.

               Mark 15. 43

(Take courage to be a witness

     with unexpected choices

                in unlikely places.

The opportunities surround us,

but do we seek to step into

  these divine appointments

in His strength,

with His courage,

        and in His name?

The world cannot help

      but be impacted.

No witness for Jesus

       goes unnoticed.

It always changes lives,

     even our own.)

O LORD,

We are Yours.

   You paid for us.

May we know You.

May we be known as Yours.

May we make You known.

Let Your unforgettable Presence

       guide us into this day.

You have given each of us

   a story of Your faithfulness.

May we not keep it to ourselves.

Grant to us the courage

    to speak up in Your name

    and live out our love for You,

even in the most unlikely

            circumstances.

May Your Spirit

   change our choices

and get all over everything.

Short Term Memory Loss

 

Would it not be better

for us to go back

          to Egypt?

        Numbers 14. 3

(Beware of 

    short term memory loss

and ignoring our own personal

  chronicle of God's faithfulness.

Lack of trusting God

  distorts what we remember,

what we are experiencing,

and how we face

            what is ahead.

God empowers us to see

    with a fresh heart,

to go forth into the day

  and even into the fray.

Not with an attitude of

  "doesn't make a difference"

but with a mindset of

         with a difference.

And that would be

   from God Himself.)

O LORD,

We all struggle with something.

We all face difficulties.

Please help us to be mindful

   of what you are forming

   in us on this hard road

and what You are

      making possible.

May we place before us

     Your unforgettable Presence.

 

No Tree Can Grow There

 

But I am like

    a green olive tree

in the house of God.

I trust in the steadfast love

                 of God

forever and ever.

 

          Psalm 52. 8

(No matter the barren landscape,

the ongoing drought,

the dismal forecast,

the rocky soil,

we always walk differently

  when we trust God in this.

Taking root downward

    and bearing fruit upward,

still standing tall,

even as

    the most unlikely tree.

God sings His steadfast love

          and goodness over us,

even in what

     we don't understand,

not just surviving

   but thriving

with His strength, hope,

and a witness to others.)

O LORD,

It is not in us,

           but You.

Please grant us

            the courage

not just to act differently,

but respond to You

  in impossible situations.

May Your abiding in us

   be evident,

 life-giving

and beautiful as a shade tree

  in a barren place.

Help us to

     trust You so much,

it shows like that.

The Power of the Seen And Overheard

 

But be on your guard.

For they will deliver you   

    over to councils,

and you will be

   beaten in synagogues,

and you will stand

before governors and kings

         for My sake,

to bear witness before them.

 

           Mark 13. 9

(Jesus spoke these words

   not to make us afraid,

but to make us aware,

to pay attention

      to every opportunity

      to bear witness.

Witness comes in

    unlikely packages,

  casual conversations,

and unexpected moments.

We may not realize

  that others are watching,

   listening, or overhearing,

whether we react or respond,

how we treat difficult people

    or unfavorable outcomes,

    even displayed in our attitudes.

Our testimony is not

     a scripted answer,

but tangible evidence

      of a changed heart.)

O LORD,

Help us to be bold

       with the gospel

in our ordinary places

       and scary spaces,

among the familiar and strange,

even with those

     who stand against us.

May others who watch us

  see not just a difference in us,

        but that You are real.

Create in them

   a homesickness for You.

More Than "Have A Nice Day"

 

The LORD bless you  

    and keep you,

the LORD make His face     

    to shine upon you

  and be gracious to you,

the LORD lift up 

   His countenance upon you

and give you peace.

           Numbers 6. 24-26

(Not just a casual greeting

    "Have a nice day,"

but a lot deeper blessing

           than that.

It is writing the LORD's name

over circumstances,

yet unforeseen moments,

His Presence over the delights

   and even the hard stuff.

Unlike a generic smiley face,

this blessing acknowledges

     His Presence with us,

and expresses to others,

you are loved,

you are seen,

   and God is very real.)

O LORD,

Enlarge our vocabulary

    and our hearts

to cover others

   with blessings.

May we not just fill 

    the space with words,

but fulfill this holy moment

      with blessing,

  no matter the situation,

among those we know

and those we don't know yet,

   to see the best in

and desire God's best for.

Aware of What God Makes Possible

And you shall love

   the Lord your God

with all your heart,

and with all your soul,

and with all your mind,

and with all your strength.

The second is this:

You shall love your neighbor

              as yourself.

There is no other commandment

      greater than these.

               Mark 12. 30-31

(What is our overriding agenda

         for this very day?

Of all the significant things

     we urgently need to do,

that which is needful

                   and profound

   is to love God and others

           with a whole heart.

It covers everything.

And answers not just what,

but how, why, where and when.

Our circumstances

    are neither an interruption,

    nor a pothole,

              nor deadend,

but a divine appointment

     on holy ground.

How differently would we go forth

     if we equipped ourselves

              into this day

     with those commandments?)

O LORD,

We love You.

Please help us to be faithful

    in expressing our love

by loving those around us,

those we know,

those we have not even met,

divine windows,

sacred encounters,

and holy moments in disguise.

Grant us the courage

       and strength

to make Your love known.

Nudge us, if necessary,

   to be aware of what

       You make possible.

 

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

Even What We Pray For

 

Therefore, I tell you,

whatever

    you ask in prayer,

believe that you have          

           received it,

and it will be yours.

And whenever

     you stand praying,

forgive,

if you have anything

         against anyone,

so that your Father also

   who is in heaven,

may forgive you

        your trespasses.

           Mark 11. 24-26

(Notice the connections here.

The whatever is connected

   to the whenever,

  the anything to anyone.

Also bound together are the ask,

   believe, receive, and forgive.

Prayer is an act

     not of demanding,

     but of asking,

coming before,

willing to be submissive

    to His purposes, power

            and His grace.

Repenting and forgiving

   realign our hearts

 how to pray about this,

what to believe about God,

and to know what we receive

           is from Him.

This verse is not about

    getting what we want,

but being willing to receive

              His will in this.)

O LORD,

Help us to realize

   that more than anything,

               we need You.

Rewire our hearts

   that we would not just pray,

  but able to trust You on the way.

Give us the courage

    to ask forgiveness

    and to grant it,

so that our hands and hearts

   are ready and unburdened

to believe You

   and receive Your goodness.

Make us aware

   how to pray,

   and how to believe not in an outcome,

              but in You.

Your Presence changes everything,

   even what we pray for.

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We Are All Storytellers

 

And He began to speak       

      in parables.

              Mark 12. 1

(We are all storytellers.

God has given

each of us stories 

     of His grace and glory

in our everydays

   and the extraordinary.

There are

    no insignificant tales.

A speaker or writer

can wax eloquent

   with head knowledge,

but when they tell a story,

   the audience wakes up.

A parable literally means

placing one thing

   by the side of another,

positioning a common story

  besides its deeper meaning,

in order to bring understanding.

The impossible stories 

God weaves into our lives

   show us His power

   and reveal His glory

     as a side-by-side

     verbal witness to others.

Jesus told stories

   to bring the "aha" to our souls.)

O LORD,

You have granted us

stories to bring You glory,

a journey of words

        not to keep

   but to share in this world.

May we be bold

   in speaking not just

   of what we experience

but how we have seen You.

You are the grand Author

    of our lives.

May we be faithful

        in the telling.

 

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Attention Deficit

 

The LORD spoke to Moses

in the wilderness of Sinai....

           Numbers 1.1

(The most unusual places,

unexpected circumstances,

barren landscapes,

the deserted bus stations of life,

a crowded waiting room,

 or painfully rutted gravel roads,

     are never random at all,

               nor a wrong turn.

But perhaps,

where we listen

without the usual distractions

     or frantic pace.

We are more aware

  that God is here with us.

It is not that we give Him

   permission to speak,

but He gives us the margin

     to take notice of Him

     and pay attention.

What am I supposed

           to be doing here?

Be with Me.)

O LORD,

Help us

to be still and know

    that You are God.

Help us to realize

that we cannot do

       this day without You.

Guide our eyes and hearts

  to take notice

 of what You are doing.

And grant us the strength

    and courage

        to respond

with energy, grace and love.

May we be not just

           aware of You,

but sensitive to those

  You have divinely placed 

         right before us.

Capture our attention

  and help us

to keep our eyes on You.

In Our Comings And Goings

 

If you walk in My statutes

and observe My commandments

          and do them......

          Leviticus 26. 3

(It is not a matter of what

we say we believe,

but if our lives engraved

     by living out our faith

in how we walk,

what we observe,

     and what we do.

Life will look very different,

   not just for us

   but through us

in the lives of everyone

  we touch and encounter.

Indeed, the world's trajectory

   would alter greatly

if we walked with God

in the familiar and ordinary

and in the incomprehensible

         and extraordinary.

We cannot forecast this day,

but we can be aware

of His divine appointments,

sacred encounters,

   and holy collisions.

And respond differently.)

O LORD,

Thank You that we can walk

       with You through

whatever is before us--

tromping through the miry bog,

scaling the scary cliffs,

even sweating on the uphill hikes.

May we bless You

        in this day,

sensitive to Your leading,

loving and gracious

       in our dealings,

and courageous

  to do what is good and right

        and selfless.

Never Comes In Individual Servings

 

Redeem us

for the sake of

Your steadfast love.

            Psalm 44. 26

(Why do we always think

the hardship or the favor

     is just about us?

God is spreading

  His grace in unexpected places

  and in unlikely people.

It is not just what God

   is forming in us

   through this difficulty

           or benevolence,

but what is He forming

   in those around us,

drawing not just us

    but others to Him.

Redeeming never comes

  in individual servings.

What if this situation

  or our own struggle

  is about them?

God is already redeeming

          our suffering,

covered even now

by His name, steadfast love,

   and His indelible grace,

marks that

      cannot be removed.)

O LORD,

Thank You

that whatever we encounter,

or endure,

or experience,

is covered by Your steadfast love.

And for the sake

       of Your holy name.

You redeem even what

  we cannot comprehend.

Please make us aware

and responsive

   to those around us

to bring Your grace to them.

Even in this,

You are powerfully working,

restoring, and multiplying.

Not just for us.

Antidote To Fear

 

Do not fear,

       only believe.

       Mark 5. 36

(The world has hijacked

     this phrase.

Jesus does not intend

for us to believe in ourselves,

or favorable outcomes,

or particular answers,

          but in Him.

Trusting in Him

    is the antidote to fear.

His Presence with us

   is not dependent on

   how much we believe,

like racking up enough likes

  or wishing hard enough,

      but that we believe in Him.

God knows what He is doing,

even in what is so far 

   beyond our comprehension.

Believing and trusting God

   does not change circumstances,

but alters how we approach

            and navigate this place.

  God's power and Presence

help us see His trail through it.)

O LORD,

Help us to leave our fear behind

and trust You in this situation.

You are here with us,

       not dependent on

    if we believe hard enough.

We hold tight to You,

and then realize

  You have a tighter hold on us.

We need not fear,

   not even just believe

       that You are God,

but know You are.

Enlarging Our Vocabulary

 

...may those who love Your salvation

say continually,

        "Great is the LORD!"

          Psalm 40. 16

(God does not just change our hearts.

    He enlarges our vocabulary.

Does anyone see

        any difference in us

in how we speak,

how we respond,

      even what we talk about?

What if we said

    --in so many words--

       "Great is the LORD?"

We rarely acknowledge Him

      even among church people.

What if we make others aware

   to what God is doing,

engraving His Presence

   into our conversations,

allowing God to transform

  the trajectory of our chats?

We talk freely about a lot of things.

But do we mention Him?)

O LORD,

May our conversations,

our vocabulary,

our words

   bring glory to You.

Nudge us in situations

   to speak of You.

We cannot know

  how You will use

      even an informal chat

      to draw someone to You.

Enlarge our vocabulary

and our willingness

   to know You

   and make You known.

  

How We Say Yes

 

And He answered them,

     "You give them

       something to eat...

How many loaves

    do you have?

             Go and see."

And when they found out,

they said, "Five and two fish."

             Mark 6. 37-38

(We pray for God

        to guide and provide.

And in turn,

God reveals that

He has already

      supplied the answer

   for us to unpack.

When we respond and go forth,

we realize God does not just

                 cover a need,

  but multiplies,

    exceeding beyond what we can imagine,

      way more than enough,

        sometimes even with dessert.

Praying enlarges what we see,

   but also what we can do.

When we cry out,

       "Oh, God, do something!"

He replies,

    "That is why I put you there."

What resources

         has He put in our hands?

     Do we even know?)

O LORD,

We see the gaps and needs

    and broken places.

You see the opportunities

  for us to be

          Your hands and feet.

When we pray,

please make us aware of

    how we are saying yes to You.

Grant to us big hearts

    to set many more places

                       at the table.

In Your eyes,

    there is always room for more.

You do not just make it work

    with rolls and two fish,

    but cast Your glory over it.

Help us to not just do

         with what we have,

but create a feast

   in impossible situations.

May our love and grace

be a strong witness

   to everyone around us.

Surprise even us!

    

Who Exactly Is Waiting?

 

But for You, O LORD,

       do I wait.

It is You, O LORD my God,

      who will answer.

             Psalm 38. 15

(Do we wait on the LORD

    or barge right through?

Do we even give God

   the space to squeeze in,

   enter and move?

Answering is not

   the only action verb here.

But listening, waiting,

     watching and responding.

Waiting is not at all about

     God's ability to act.

His answers don't fit

  on the short dotted line we allot,

but a shelf of 800-page volumes

     would not be enough.

It is, perhaps, on us

       that He waits

to get a word in edgewise.)

O LORD,

Please grant us 

not just the strength

      to wait,

but how to wait.

You never meant

   for waiting to be

   a passive verb,

but a passage through.

Waiting is being aware

     of Your Presence

          and dwelling in it

in unexpected places,

when we would rather be

       somewhere else.

Please help us

   to trust You

in Your divine appointments,

Your precise timing, and

Your strategic positioning,

         for Your glory.

You have shown us 

that waiting is not about

         what is next

but what is eternal.

Even When We Don't Know How

 

...the seed sprouts

       and grows,

he knows not how.

        Mark 4. 27

(We scatter the seed,

nurture our patch of ground,

water, and pull up weeds,

but God brings His growth,

      sometimes fruit

      we don't even recognize,

and casts His glory all over it.

We have no idea

      how He will use us,

planting a seasonal crop

  or a forest of Sequoias.

But we can be faithful.

Right here,

         in the now

and in what is about to emerge.)

O LORD,

You change the landscape

    of our circumstances.

You have placed us

  in these situations

  to repair and restore

     and scatter seeds

    of hope and grace.

No ground is too hard or fallow

      that cannot bear fruit.

And only You can bring it.

Redeem, Almighty One,

    our work for Your glory,

even when we

         don't know how.

Something Always Happens

 

And Moses said,

"This is the thing

that the LORD commanded

     you to do,

that the glory of the LORD

may appear to you."

           Leviticus 9. 6

(God does not demand.

       He commands.

Demand is to force.

Command is to invite us

           to join Him.

Demand is 

   an impersonal "Do this."

Command is an intimate

     "Follow Me."

Command means to appoint,

    to set up,

    to charge us with His purposes,

most of which we may never know,

  but to be faithful anyway.

When we respond to God's leading

in the familiar or unexpected,

   something always happens.

God covers it with His glory

    and reveals Himself to us,

often in unlikely, improbable,

    and unexplainable ways.

And others are impacted too.)

O LORD,

Thank You that You show us

   not just a way to go

            or what to do,

but You draw us to Yourself.

Appoint us, set it up,

   charge us not just

with stuff to do

   but to be

   in relationship with You.

Spread Your glory

     in thick layers

             over this day.

Help us to grasp Your Presence.

You do not just show up.  

    You reveal Yourself.

You are already here.

How To Handle This Day

 

Trust in the LORD,

        and do good;

dwell in the land

  and befriend faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the LORD,

  and He will give you

  the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD.

trust also in Him,

            and He will act.

                  Psalm 37. 3-5

(God spells out

      how to handle this day:

  trust, delight in Him,

          commit our way,

   and trust Him again.

Our part is seamlessly integrated

             with His.

The promise is

         "and He will act,"

in amazing ways

  we cannot ever foresee.

Diligently following Him

    into this day,

    into this mess,

    into His wonders,

changes not just

   our perspective or attitudes,

but our heart, vision, actions,

   and how we respond.

Circumstances may or may not change,

      but we can.

Trusting God never comes

      with a Laz-E-Boy recliner

but trail shoes double-knotted,

     ready to roll. )

O LORD,

We can be confident and sure

   that You are God

            we are not.

Thank You that we can trust You.

Help us to go forth into this day,

trusting You, relying on You,

allowing ourselves

            to be led,

being strengthened on the ascents,

and astonished by Your scenery

        along the way.

Please make our trust in You

      be infectious in others.

It is not that we

        lay our day before You,

but You lay Your incredible day

            before us.

May we walk with You

    hand in hand into it.

Not Just A Bow On Top

 

...as a gift to the LORD.

            Leviticus 7. 14

(This awkward, difficult situation

   looks nothing like a gift.

It is not just doing what

the LORD has placed before us,

but going above the needful

and turning it into a present,

             given willingly.

A gift is not that I have to do this,

       but I really want to.

Because any gift always has love attached

   and price tags removed.

How can we transform

     what we are doing today

--fixing the toilet,

   discovering a cure,

   accommodating interruptions,

   starting a difficult chore--

        into a gift to the LORD?

Intentional effort,

a willing heart,

and seeing it differently.

Not a task or obligation,

    but opportunity,

to love Him more.)

O LORD,

You offer to us

the wonders of this new day,

even its difficulties,

     storms and potholes.

Grant to us the strength

and creativity to turn it

   into blessing You.

Not just putting a bow on top,

but allowing ourselves

           to be led into it

with hearts that see

      something new and different,

even in the same ol' details.

Renew our energies

  not just to do,

  but to be Yours in this.

We offer to You our time,

our endeavors, our hearts,

   as a gift to You,

and watch how You

 multiply it amazingly

in the lives of others.

 

    

What We Can't Afford

 

And rising very early in the morning,

while it was still dark,

He departed and went out

to a desolate place,

and there He prayed.

               Mark 1. 35

(Spending time with Jesus

   first thing in the morning

--finding and making time--

radically changes

   the trajectory of our day,

      far more than we know.

A recalibrated heart changes

   what we see,

   what we feel,

   what we pursue,

and how we respond to God,

to others and to circumstances.

Not just having a better attitude,

   but having the strength

  to take a higher road

              through it.

We can't afford

            not to pray.)

O LORD,

Wake us early

with a desire to meet with You.

Soften our hearts

   and change our minds

that we would walk

      differently into this day.

Help us to not just be

      aware of You,

but mindful of You

   in whatever we do,

   in every divine appointment,

   and every sacred encounter.

Enter in.

Infiltrate our hearts

        with Your Spirit.

May others see the

      difference in us.

May we see it even more.

When We Don't Know

 

And immediately

they left their nets

and followed Him.

          Mark 1. 18

(Jesus did not give them

a full itinerary.

They had no idea

    what following Him meant.

Nor do we.

Are we willing to leave behind

        and follow Jesus?

Are we willing to stay

    right where we are

    and be faithful?

We may not realize what

         God is up to

or to what or where

    He is leading us,

but we can trust Him.

"God gives us the desire

to follow Him

into specific callings,

and the faith to pursue them

without knowing

      all the particulars."

  --Why Everything That Matters,

     Matters So Much)

O LORD,

We thank You that

we don't have to know everything

     to lead a faithful life,

just to trust You in it,

even in the stuff

       we don't understand.

Help us to lift our eyes to You,

and to allow ourselves

         to be led

into Your wonders

     and beyond ourselves.

This Belongs To __________

 

...and wrote on it an inscription

like the engraving of a signet,

"Holy to the LORD."

               Exodus 39. 30

(What if we had the mindset,

the heart, and willingness

not just to acknowledge

      our work as worship,

but to engrave

         His name on it,

carving permanently into it

    to Whom it belongs?

Whatever we do,

     Holy to the LORD,

  means nothing too small

  and everything sacred.

The usefulness of

    most complicated things

comes down to

   the smallest faithfulness.

But the practical is not

     all that is profound.

Beauty is found in

   the faintest rhythms,

His holiness covering

    everything we do.)

O LORD,

Help us to realize that

    our work is just

one of the ways we worship.

May everything we do

    not just matter,

but bring You glory.

Write Your name all over it,

   because it is Yours.

May our efforts and intentions

   stretch Your goodness

   over all the earth.

Remind us,

  even in all we do today.

If I Knew You Were Here

 

Then Jesus said to them,

"Do not be afraid...."

         Matthew 28. 10

(Jesus didn't promise

that there would be nothing

    to be afraid of,

but do not bring fear with you.

   Just walk with Me through it.

Because then,

    we go forth differently.

Fear double-locks the doors,

  ties our shoelaces together,

and makes us look only

           for an exit.

One of our little girls once said,

"I would not be afraid

    if I knew you were here."

And Jesus tells us, He is.

How different the journey,

how amazing the view,

how multiplied the outcomes,

      if we walk with Him.)

O LORD,

Help us grasp the reality

that You overcome

    what overwhelms us.

May we walk differently

   into this day

because You are with us.

Open our hearts and eyes

    to Your Presence

even in the dark.

We do not know what to do,

    but our eyes are on You.

         (2 Chronicles 20.12)

One Size Covers All

 

Our soul waits for the LORD.

He is our help

        and our shield.

           Psalm 33. 20

(In thirteen words,

our is repeated three times,

because the promises here

    are not just single-size for me.

Waiting and seeking the LORD

    is never a worldly wish,

or a tenuous hope,

but a thunderous gathering

   expecting the Almighty.

Not waiting for God to show up,

  but knowing He dwells

              --present tense--

     already in our midst.

Waiting on the LORD

      does not make us tougher,

but nurtures our souls

       and softens our hearts

    to recognize His response.

In the second part of this passage,

the Hebrew words translate,

our help and our shield He is,

   not just present tense,

          but action verbs.

His help is not just what we need,

  but empowers us to aid others.

His shield does not hide us,

  but covers us as we go forth.

Not me and mine,

       but ours and His.

Our waiting on the LORD

   is a strong witness

that we don't go alone

         into this day,

but double-knot our shoes,

    and run with Him.

God unfolds a different way

  through our impossibles.)

O LORD,

Calm our hearts

and strengthen us to listen

    to Your way in this.

Help us to know that

   Your help comes

      in Costco-size bundles

    to serve a multitude

 and leave a hillside of leftovers.

Your shield comes in

         one-size-covers-all,

  larger than we can carry

             on our own.

And You are

    even more than that.

Minding Our Own Business

 

When it was evening,

there came a rich man      

from Arimathea named Joseph,

who also was a

       disciple of Jesus.

             Matthew 27. 57

(Along Joseph came,

     minding his own business,

   or mindful of His?

God uses the most unlikely people

       --even us--

strategically placed,

   divinely anointed and appointed.

In unexpected times and locations,

 God works out His eternal purposes,

       weaves in the gospel,

        and covers it with His grace.

In this case, Joseph's selfless act 

   of compassion and generosity,

   perfectly timed,

completed an 800 year old prophecy.

Did Joseph even realize

that he was fulfilling

            what God had designed?

Do we?)

O LORD,

Help us in our every day

     comings and goings,

the big tasks

          and the ordinary,

to see that Your vision

   is so much bigger

than we will ever realize.

Empower us to be faithful,

not just mindful of You,

   but bearing the mind of Christ

in whatever we do today

and wherever we are.

No Small Parts

 

Let every skillful craftsman       

     among you come

and make all that

the LORD has commanded...

 

           Exodus 35. 10

(There are no small parts,

no insignificant acts

   of work and worship,

because they are

            intricately woven.

Every faithfulness

      proves profound.

Every peg, word, stitch,

      or crumb

  fulfills a vital ministry.

It depends not on

    "how am I gifted?"

but am I willing

       to follow Him,

 beyond what I am able

                 on my own?

God provides the opportunity

       and the materials.

We bring our hearts.)

O LORD,

We don't always know  

   what we are doing

or what is required,

but we seek above all 

    to be faithful to You.

Whether a tangible end result

     or willingness to try,

  You use every effort.

Help us to trust You

    in the process,

           step by step,

     in Your name.

And know You multiply it

  for all eternity.

Even what we do today.

More Than Skin Deep

 

Moses did not know

that the skin of his face

         shone

because he had been

   talking with God.

           Exodus 34. 29

(Spending time in God's Word

   and praying with Him

changes everything about us.

We may not think it matters,

but the upheaval

    is a lot more than skin deep.

Those around us observe

     the visible and invisible,

in what we do, say,

  whether we respond or react,

in our attitudes, appearance,

      and character.

Our complexion may not shine,

   but our hearts certainly can.)

O LORD,

As we spend time with You,

delving into Your Word

   and praying through

   the details of our day,

soften our hearts

     and change our minds,

  even in difficult situations

  and among stubborn people,

     of which we are too.

May we bring

    Your holy name to this place

and carry in our hands and hearts

        a compassionate disposition.

Radiate through us

    with Your love in dark places, 

slogging through miry bogs,

and climbing the tough ascents.

May Your Presence in us

   alter the trajectory

   of our work

       and relationships.

If We Only Knew What You Are Doing

 

And all the people

among whom you are

shall see

the work of the LORD

for it is an awesome thing

that I will do with you.

            Exodus 34. 10

(Wherever we are,

among whom we are,

even those most unlikely

  people, situations,

             and places,

God is working His wonders.

Not just through what we do,

   but what He does with us.

And not just what we produce

    with a "for the LORD"

              sticker on it.

Because God always goes

way beyond the boundaries

     of our imagined achievements.

A simple faithful act,

that we think no one cares or sees,

  most often

  points others to His glory.

When we are faithful to God

in whatever He appoints

               us to do,

God weaves His workmanship

   through us

   and completes His purposes.

It is not in us, but God.

He uses us for His name's sake

      and deepest grandeur.

It is not about success or failure,

          but growing in Him.)

O LORD,

If we only knew what You are doing

    with our lives,

we would be shocked

  by the significance of

  our every small endeavor.

Strengthen us

and give us the courage

  to be faithful to You

--to be anointed and appointed--

in whatever You place

              before us today.

It is an awesome thing

      that You do,

even if we are unaware

of the uncountable outcomes.

Not Just A Meet-And-Greet

 

...the tent of meeting

      before the LORD,

where I will meet with you,

   to speak to you there.

            Exodus 29. 42

(God meets us

        where we are.

He does not just show up,

    but is already here,

  waiting on us.

The tent of meeting,

the sanctuary,

the place of His Presence

   is wherever

       we come before Him

  to listen and respond.

Not just a meet-and-greet,

   but where to dwell.)

O LORD,

Thank You that we can

   know You,

   abide in You,

and not have to

         go this life alone.

We are drawn to You

   by our yearning

and by Your yearning

                 for us.

Cover us with Your

    steadfast love today.

And remind us

  that You are always

  up for a conversation.

In whatever we do today,

   wherever we are,

may we worship You

   and find it brings us

   even closer together.

Even on the darkest days,

   we are held by You.

What Happens In The Waiting Room

 

Be strong,

and let your heart

          take courage,

all you who

  wait for the LORD!

          Psalm 31. 24

(It doesn't require strength

   and courage

   to wait on the LORD.

But it takes

         waiting on the LORD

to grow His strength

    and courage in us.

And that is when

      we are able to

           walk differently.

Not just stronger,

            but not alone.)

O LORD,

Help us to seek You

in our time of need,

not try to drum up

    a feeble confidence

    of our own making.

Enlarge our hearts

  so that we can

  absorb Your strength.

Help us to wait,

   not for a situation to change,

    but to wait on You.

Help us to realize

that courage doesn't mean

    there is nothing to fear.

But knowing that we can go forth

into the fray

         or an ordinary day,

   because You are with us.

Even in this.

Stay By Me

 

....for if you serve their gods,

it will surely be

      a snare to you.

              Exodus 23. 33

(Gonna trip you up,

   not just a maybe.

A snare is not what 

    we just happen to fall into,

but a trap designed to capture,

    ambush or entangle in a web.

The adversary's fundamental

     law of derailing us

         is "It doesn't matter."

But it always does.

Everyone worships something.

And worship cannot help 

         but change our appetites

and alter the trajectory

               of our lives.)

O LORD,

Please help us to keep our eyes

           on You.

It is Your face and Your grace

     that we seek.

Help us to not just follow You

         but listen as You tell us

            "Stay by Me."

Empower us to

     bind ourselves to You

and not be distracted

by what tries to

        pull us away from You.

May our worship be sincere

and our service mindful

    of our love for You.

And know that

   it all profoundly matters.

  

Not Even "I've Got This"

 

Behold, I send an angel before you,

to guard you on the way

and to bring you to this place

that I have prepared....

And I will send hornets before you,

which shall drive out

the Hivites, the Canaanites,

and the Hittites

           from before you.

               Exodus 23. 20, 28

(God doesn't just send us off.

He equips us

   and prepares His way for us.

He does not send a support vehicle,

      but drives with us in the front seat.

And if that is not enough,

           furthermore,

He clears away our fear

    of whatever we may confront.

Because then,

     we walk differently into it.

How would we

     go into this day,

if we knew there was

       nothing to be afraid of?

Indeed, that God is

   turning this situation

            rightside up.

In these scary places,

God does not say,

         "Get a grip."

Or even, "I've got this."

But whispers to us,

     "I've got you.")

O LORD,

Where You guide, You provide.

Even in places

    we've never been before,

even in the commonplace,

even where we  

    fear to tread,

You guard us.  You protect us.

You bring us to a

         deeper trust in You.

The trail may be really hard,

    full of potholes,

         riddled with mines,

    and not even on our radar,

but You clear the way with angels

     and hornets,

and plant us right here

    to bring Your holy name.

And see the possibilities

   for Your grace and glory,

              even here,

              even in this.

      

You Betcha

 

...because they tested the LORD

by saying,

    "Is the LORD among us

     or not?"

            Exodus 17. 7

(Our mindset or heart posture

radically change

how we see God,

how we approach

   and navigate circumstances,

if we trust God,

or if we sap our strength,

   step in the minefields,

   or take a wrong turn

             by grumbling.

Questioning if God is with us

alters our journey,

how we endure,

what shoes we wear,

what we carry with us,

and how we respond

    to God and others.

Trusting Him does too

   in a very different way

---abiding, walking, loving us

       in the now and next.

God is right here with us,

   past, present, future tense.

 That is reality. We are not alone.

Is the LORD among us?

As they say in Minnesota,

        you betcha.)

O LORD,

Please help us to realize 

that the real question is

     not are You among us,

but You asking us,

          Are you with Me?"

 Trusting You

leads us on a different journey.

Make our paths straight

              to You.

We may not understand

   our hard circumstances,

   odd happenings,

or where You are leading us,

   but You are here with us.

On that,

    we can stake our lives.

You are not about

    to abandon us now.

  

The Strange, Awkward and Weird

 

...they said to one another,

       "What is it?"

For they did not know

             what it was.

And Moses said to them,

"It is the bread

that the LORD has

      given you to eat."

            Exodus 16. 15

(We are confronted by

    the unusual, unexpected,

          strange and unwanted.

What in the world is this

   inconvenient, uncomfortable,

 weird package on our doorstep,

   jammed in our schedule,

   growing in our yard,

  or already sitting in our living room?

Sometimes we have no idea

what God has placed 

    in our hands and lives

to nourish and sustain us

and bring about flourishing.

We often don't recognize what

may actually be a visible object

of God's mercy, faithfulness 

         and steadfast love.

We think we know what we want.

God knows what we need.)

O LORD,

Help us to not question

          Your provision,

but to follow You into it.

Soften our hearts

  that we may seek You in it

and know there is not

    just a reason,

but eternal purposes in it,

that we may know You more

      and make You known.

Rest for the Weary

 

Then they came to Elim,

where there were

   twelve springs of water

  and seventy palm trees,

and they encamped there

          by the water.

             Exodus 15. 27

(Right in the midst

     of impossible journeys,

when we are not just

   following God,

   but walking with Him,

God brings us to an oasis.

When we are thirsty for Him

   and weary in our wanderings,

when we need it the most

or least expect it,

God provides a rest area,

  an off-ramp in the desert.

When we trust Him,

we see not a mirage,

     but a place of provision,

resupply, strengthening,

a patch of ground

    to pitch our tent,

and snacks along the way.

God does not

     give us a resort,

lest we move in and stay,

but a time of refreshing

   in many unforeseen ways.

And in our busy-ness,

sometimes He has to

  make us lie down

to get our needed rest.

He knows what we need.

He knows what we

     are going to need.)

O LORD,

Please provide for us

     an Elim,

a time of encouragement

   in these barren deserts.

And help us to know that

   You give us those words too

   to sustain and uplift others.

We have no idea 

  the bleak wilderness

     someone is crawling through.

You have strategically placed us

    in the middle of nowhere

      to be someone's Elim

  in what they are

            struggling with.

Fulfill Your purposes

and fill us with Your strength,

   even in the dry and dusty.

Help us to know that

  You promise rest for the weary.

"Come to Me, all who labor

and are heavy laden,

    and I will give you rest."

Wherever we are.

Point of No Return

 

When Pharoah let the people go,

God did not lead them by way

of the land of the Philistines,

         although that was near.

For God said,

"Lest the people change their minds

when they see war

         and return to Egypt."

But God led the people around

by the way of the wilderness

     toward the Red Sea.

                Exodus 13. 17-18

(Our idea of a better way

cannot match up

      to God's purposes in it.

He protects us

      from our ignorance.

He brings His glory

  in ways we cannot see.

There is not just a reason for it,

    but eternal purposes in it.

The point of no return

is exactly where we need to be

    to trust Him in this.

God knows what is ahead,

what we are capable of doing,

and most likely not to do.

When we follow God

     into our situation

  --even what appears a wilderness--

there is always more at stake

     than we can realize.

Trust Me in this.)

O LORD,

Please forgive us for telling You,

    the Master of the Universe,

what would be 

        a better route to go,

a preferable thing to do,

or even what could

      bring You glory.

We are distracted

        from the eternal.

Help us to follow You

   past the point of no return

that we may know You more.

We may never see

  the multitude of outcomes,

but we can be faithful to You,

even here, even now,

               and even in this.

       

 

Asking Why

 

And when in time to come,

your son asks you,

"What does this mean?"

you shall say to him,

"By a strong hand

the LORD brought us

          out of Egypt,

from the house of slavery."

          Exodus 13. 14

(And when the time comes

when your co-worker,

neighbor, grocery clerk,

coach of your kid's team,

or family member asks,

   what makes you different?

What do we say?

Live in such a way

that others are compelled

          to ask why.

Do others just see us

       as "nice people,"

or do they witness a heart

    transformed by Jesus?

"It is not I who live,

   but Christ who lives in me."

             --Galatians 2. 20

God has given each of us

      a story for His glory

--liberation, grace, and newness.

Do others know our story?

And what God has done.)

O LORD,

Help us to live as those

who can live differently

   because we know You.

Fill us with Your grace

    and unexpected love

    toward others

as a witness to what

    You have done in us

and who You are..

Staying on the Trail

 

All the paths of the LORD

are steadfast love

and faithfulness...

            Psalm 25. 10

(That's the way through

       our hard situations.

Our compass is

   to love others well

      (yes, even them)

and to be faithful to God

   in whatever we do

     (yes, even in this.)

"Walk with Me.

    Don't leave home

    without Me."

God may be taking us

             a new way,

or making us aware

  of what we are missing

  in the familiar and ordinary.

What is the way through?

      Stay on the trail.

Bring love and faithfulness

          with us

and apply lavishly.)

O LORD,

We need not wonder

that You lead us on paths

   of love and faithfulness,

even through the thicket

and miry bog,

or across the abyss

    on a swinging bridge.

Help us to love others

   in these circumstances

and to love them 

                straight to You.

Grant to us the courage

  and wisdom to be faithful

even when it is hard

          to choose Your way.

Especially then.

Help us to stay on that trail

   and not be distracted.

Redeem this difficulty

   for Your glory.

Even as impossible

      as that may seem.

And Carries Us Through

 

But for this purpose

I have raised you up,

to show you My power,

so that

My name may be proclaimed

      in all the earth.

             Exodus 9. 16

(We are all strategically placed,

intentionally positioned

    in time and place,

divinely appointed

     for sacred encounters,

    holy connections,

       and even awkward moments,

     both small and great.

Critically significant actions

   sometimes look 

either insignificant

           or overwhelming.

But this is not a mistake or accident,

    nor a random assignment,

but a profound opportunity

  for His Kingdom, glory

             and unexpected grace.

Faithfulness to God gets us there.

     And carries us through.)

O LORD,

Help us to follow You

   into Your purposes,

both visible and invisible.

Guide us in ways

   that Your name

   may be glorified,

in familiar errands,

    ordinary tasks,

or even outrageous details.

Your purposes

     are never singular,

never forgotten,

     always eternal,

far more than we can know.

Even in this,

   help us to be faithful to You.

 

Whatever Is Before Us

 

Even though I walk through

the valley of the

        shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

  for You are with me.

Your rod and Your staff,

     they comfort me.

             Psalm 23. 4

(Let not the familiarity of this verse

     sap it of its promise.

When we realize God's Presence

in this place or on this path,

        we walk differently.

We see our surroundings

           or scenery

   with new eyes and hearts.

"I never saw that before."

And even in the hard parts,

  we see a new way through,

  because He walks with us.

In the valley of deep darkness,

   God brings His head lamp.

Watch for Him.

What we are experiencing now

   is radically impacted by

our shortsighted approach to life,

   instead of an eternal one.)

O LORD,

Even in this deep crevice,

this rocky ascent,

this valley of darkness

   that just seems like

an unending highway

   or death on the horizon,

You are with us.

You don't just show up.

     You are right here.

Please help us to trust You

  and not our myopic eyes.

Your promises hold us tight,

            Almighty One.

Nobody Can 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 18. 21-22

(In Judaic tradition,

   three times was sufficient

   to reveal a forgiving spirit.

Jesus says, "Stop counting."

If we forgave so much

    that we lost count,

we would be

   far different people.

We cannot help

      but be changed radically

   by forgiving.

And realizing His mercy is more.

What is so hard about forgiving

  is realizing our own need for it.

We are not perfect either.)

Love you out there.

Praying for you

        the courage to forgive.

O LORD,

We ask for You

   to change our triggers,

soften our hearts,

and alter our responses.

May Your mercy

    cover both our wounds

    and our brokenness.

Help us to be not just

      quick with forgiveness

   but deep with it.

Turn our hearts

       right side up.

Fill our pockets with

      forgiveness and sincerity.

Because that is how

     we love one another.

Because that is how

         You love us.

One forgiveness comes

   layered on another.

Help us to realize

 forgiveness is

         never insignificant,

only profoundly life changing.

And nobody can

          count that high.

Something We Would Not Have Chosen

 

Why did You

    ever send me?

         Exodus 5. 22

(Just because the task is hard

     and seems impossible to do

does not mean it is not

      entrenched

in the very center of God's will.

His purposes span

             across eternity.

We just cannot see them yet.

God does not empower us

to necessarily see ourselves

    --or these circumstances--

with new eyes and hearts,

but to realize even more

         who He is.

Why did He ever send us here?

       To be faithful.)

O LORD,

You know the difficulty

           that we are facing,

something that we

  would never have chosen

  or attempted,

           if not for You.

We pray that You will use us

   for spreading Your glory

   all over this adversity

and that You are redeeming it

for the good of many people.

Grant us the courage we need.

And help us

    to walk with You through it.