For I desire steadfast love

            and not sacrifice,

the knowledge of God

      rather than burnt offerings.

                  Hosea 6. 6

(The most important thing to God

      is our relationship to Him.

He is not trying to "teach us" anything.

He wants to be with us.

He does not require success,

      nor perfect kids,

      nor our stuff,

but desires our hearts.

What is most significant to God

        in this situation

        or on this path?

To love Him in it,

         love others through it,

     and to know Him more.

Where is my heart in this?

    What am I sowing

       --harshness or grace?)

O LORD,

Our hearts are revealed

       in how we respond

    in all good endeavors,

    in unexpected difficulties,

    in the joys

             and on the rocky path.

We cannot carry this load

                       ourselves

    but we can direct it to You.

Reorder our loves.

Help us to point others to You

       by showing grace

       as You have shown grace

                       to us,

unexpected and undeserved.

Reveal Yourself to us

      in whatever we do today

and with whomever

          You appoint us

to love them

      with Your steadfast love.

 

...not as though I were writing you

       a new commandment,

but the one we have had

                      from the beginning--

that we love one another.

                  2 John 1. 5

(What is the will of God in this?

How do we approach

     this volatile situation,

     this impossible person,

     these hard circumstances

         beyond our understanding?

Love one another.

As simple as that,

    as sacrificing as that.

--our approach, our focus,

           our response,

by how we are known

    because of Who we know.

Bring the love of Jesus

                    to this.)

O LORD,

May Your love be evident

    in all that we are

    and all that we do.

Help us to love others

                  in real time

   because we love You.

Empower us

          to practice Your grace

   until Your heart becomes ours,

and that loving others

      is no longer a sacrifice

      but a joy.

 

And there

I will give her her vineyards

and make the Valley of Achor

            a door of hope.

               Hosea 2. 15

(Achor means trouble.

We've all been in that deep valley

    at one time or another.

But we are not stuck there.

In the bleak wilderness,

in the barren place,

in the valley of trouble,

even there

   God provides in unlikely places

   and in unexpected ways.

His mercy prevails

            even in the hard stuff.

God is faithful and reveals Himself.

Don't miss Him.

It is not that He has not shown up.

        He is already here.

We are the ones late

               to recognize Him.)

O LORD,

You are our help.

Help us to seek You

     in this bleak place.

Have mercy on us.

And provide, O LORD,

              Your strength in this.

Help us to not just

     seek an exit,

nor just get through this,

but to know You more.

Help us to walk toward

    Your door of hope,

                    even in this.

You have positioned us here

   to bring Your name

   and Your glory

      in unexpected places.

 

And those who are wise

shall shine like the brightness

        of the sky above,

and those who turn many

                to righteousness

   like the stars forever and ever.

                  Daniel 12. 3

(Not seeking the spotlight for oneself,

   but radiating His light

           and love and grace.

Seek His wisdom

    dig deep, uncover, search out.

Seek righteousness,

     not our way but His in this.

Seek the welfare of others

                   intentionally,

     because that is what love does.

Point others to God

         in all things,

     even in the ordinary,

     because that is how we learn

               how to respond in the crisis.

That is what to do

     with this difficult situation,

     this task before us today,

     this unexpected turn of events,

     this hard relationship,

     this impossible person.

Love them to Jesus.

Faithfulness to God

        always responds differently.)

O LORD,

Abide in us.

Help us to walk toward Your light,

      even in the dark places.

Let Your light shine from within us

     to point others to You.

We cannot change others,

   but we can change

              how we respond,

and how we can love others,

       even in this.

Shine through us this day,

    even in the ordinary,

    even in unlikely places,

    even when we are unaware.

 

By this we know love,

that He laid down His life

                     for us,

and we ought to lay down

  our lives for the brothers.

                 1 John 3. 16

(By this we know

     how much we are loved.

  That is why Jesus came.

How do we lay down our lives

        for others today?

We are surrounded by

   opportunities to show grace.

Practicing in the little ways

   builds strength to love large.

What do we choose in this?

The closest parking place,

    the biggest piece of pie,

    the critical thought

          is where it starts.

Pay attention,

be aware of our surroundings,

and respond to God's nudges.

Let the love of Christ invade.)

O LORD,

May not a moment pass by

   that we are not aware

   of Your Presence

   and the opportunity

      to love others to You.

Help us to see Your way in this.

Grant us the wisdom,

           strength and courage

to seek the welfare

    of those around us.

May our lives reflect

        Your love.

Every action, word and attitude

    are never insignificant

   --the tangible and the intangible.

We cannot know

                 what sticks,

nor what draws someone to You.

                          

 

...for you are greatly loved.

                Daniel 9. 23

(All we need to know.

Not just a feeling or emotion

        that comes and goes,

but the reality

      that God loves us.

It is not that we grab hold

              of that truth,

but that truth has a

         strong hold on us.

And it changes how we see God,

other people,

ourselves,

and our circumstances.

Am I loved?  is the cry

            of every human heart

because God does.)

O LORD,

Thank You for loving us

        no matter what.

Help us to know Your love

        no matter what.

May we stake our lives

   on Your steadfast love

and trust You in it.

Because we can know we are loved,

     we can live differently.

     We can love You

        in all that we are and do.

Help us to go forth into this day

    knowing that we are greatly loved

                           by You.

   That is all we need to know,

     and that changes everything.

    

 

In my distress I called

        to the LORD,

and He answered me.

               Psalm 120. 1

(God answers in

            unexpected ways.

    Look for Him.

    He reveals Himself,

       not just a solution,

       or exit door,

       or emergency helicopter.

He doesn't show up.

     He is already here.

This is the first verse

    of the ancient songs of ascent.

Pray to the LORD

                  over the distress.

Sing over the hard places.

Sing aloud with Him.

     Sing louder because

     He walks with us.

Do not be dismayed

           at the steepness.

God gives His impossible strength

       for the next little step,

              and then another.

Even in the scorched places,

    the narrow rocky path,

    in the drought,

    the fog,

    the cliffs on both sides,

God walks with us there.

       He has a strong hold on us.

His Presence changes

                everything.)

O LORD,

When our minds and thoughts

     race first thing to panic,

trigger our hearts

      to pray

      as our first response.

Remind us that

    we are not alone in this,

but that You walk with us

in the high scary places

    and in the dark miry bog.

You do not just

          bring us through.

You bring us to You.

Help us to approach this difficulty

      with a new heart

            and a strength that is not ours

      but Yours.

And sing out loud with You

   Your goodness

   even in what we

             cannot understand.