And the people of Nineveh

              believed God.

              Jonah 3. 5

(The book of Jonah is

     not just about a man

                   and a whale,

but the deliverance of

     an unlikely people.

That is the real miracle

           in this story.

We can never know

    how God is using us

when we respond to Him

   and are faithful,

even in unexpected places.)

O LORD,

Make us aware of

    Your divine appointments

and responsive to

     Your sacred encounters,

even in this day ahead of us.

Fill us with Your love

  and pack our pockets with grace

that our hearts are aligned

                     with Yours.

Help us to love others

    right into Your arms.

May we seek the welfare

         of those around us.

And realize that is why

    You have placed us here.

 

I will not enter my house

     or get into my bed,

I will not give sleep to my eyes

     or slumber to my eyelids,

until I find a place for the LORD,

a dwelling place for

             the Mighty One of Jacob.

                Psalm 132. 3-5

(Spending time with the LORD

    is not "just one more thing

        I don't have time for."

But time with Him orders my loves

    and reorders my urgencies.

We are too busy not to.

Even in what appears the same,

  we see the day differently

  because we walk with Him.

The adversary always shouts,

          "Doesn't matter.

           You don't have time for that."

But God whispers, "Come to Me.

              Walk with Me.

     It matters a lot.  Much more.

     Not just for today

                  but forever.

     Not just for you

            but for everyone around you.")

O LORD,

Make me mindful of those things

    that casually slip in

    and take Your rightful place.

Help me to not be distracted

   by what cries out Important!!!

                  but is not.

Reveal to us

   pockets of time each day

   to spend with You.

You go before us.

You walk with us.

You change our hearts.

 

I do not occupy myself

with things too great

and too marvelous for me.

But I have calmed

    and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child

             with its mother,

like a weaned child

    is my soul within me.

               Psalm 131. 1-2

(What is right before me today?

God is with me, even in this.

      "Right here with you."

Worry is running ahead of God

   and being distracted by

   what is not in my control anyway,

                        but His.

Worry is leaving God Almighty

            out of the picture.)

O LORD,

Help me to walk with You

     through this,

 in what I know,

and what I cannot yet see.

May I rest in Your arms

   and let You not just comfort me,

but strengthen me

    for both the now and not yet.

You redeem.

No matter the circumstances,

    You do not abandon us,

but draw us closer to You.

Help me in all that I do see

      to be faithful to You

      in all things,

        both great and small.

And realize that

  faithfulness is never insignificant.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

Out of the depths

    I cry to You, O LORD!

O Lord, hear my voice...

I wait for the LORD,

     my soul waits,

and in His Word I hope.

             Psalm 130. 1-2, 5

("Come to Me."

And in the coming,

we find that He is

        already with us,

   a strong hold upon us,

              even in this.

He has not promised easy

   in this broken

             and shattered world,

but "I am with you."

His Presence and strength

          guide us on our way.

"Walk with Me through this."

God pours over us His grace

       covers us with His peace,

and He redeems.)

O LORD,

Sometimes we are beyond words,

    tripped up by despair,

    and stumbling in the dark.

Help us to walk toward

                  Your light

and to take

      Your outstretched hand.

Help us to see in the dark

   and follow You

   into Your redeeming.

There is always Your redeeming,

   even in what we cannot see.

But we can trust You.

 

Do you see a man who is

         hasty in his words?

There is more hope for a fool

         than for him.

                Proverbs 29. 20

(Just a little reminder in this

    season of joy and stress

that our words are non-returnable,

           not exchangeable,

               and final sale.

Even those that slip out,

         "I didn't mean to say that."

God calls us to be quick to listen,

      slow to speak,

      not just filling the air

            with empty words,

   but those that build up love.

Point and direct the conversation

                       to Him.

Sometimes speak.

Sometimes nothing at all.

Use your words.

     But always use them wisely

     and with unexpected grace

          which is such a rare treasure

          in our world.)

O LORD,

Let the words of my mouth

      bring You glory

   in unexpected places

   and among unlikely people.

Help me to not ignite turmoil

    but bring Your grace

    to this situation.

May even our conversations

            bring You glory.

May we love others

                into Your Kingdom

   even by how we respond.

 

I will restore to you

the years that the

  swarming locust has eaten.

                 Joel 2. 25

(God has not just brought us through,

    but has been with us

                        all along,

   and He is still with us now,

      past, present, and future tense.

No expiration date.

     No place beyond His grace.

Not just the promise that

God will redeem,

   but He is already redeeming,

even in ways we cannot yet see,

      even in this,

                  right where we are.

New saplings and a great forest

   emerge from

  the stumps of old growth trees.)

O LORD,

We so easily lose sight of

     our joys and Your wonders

and listen only to the sorrows,

             and not to You.

But we can stake our lives on You,

     send down roots

     and bear fruit

           even in this broken world.

And sing Your glory in this place.

May others see a light and a hope,

      something very different in us,

                      and let that be You.

We are not stuck.

We are coming through the hard places,

    bringing others with us,

and helping others with Your strength,

          right into Your Kingdom.

 

Sow for yourselves righteousness;

reap steadfast love;

break up your fallow ground,  

    for it is time to seek the LORD,

that He may come

    and rain righteousness

                          upon you.

                   Hosea 10. 12

(Such timeless truth

     written and preserved

     in this ancient document

           of God's faithfulness.

What are we sowing?

Faithfulness always bears fruit

    in one dimension

                     or a thousand,

mostly in ways

          we will never fathom.

Are we seeking God in this

     situation, dilemma,

                or same old task today?

Nothing is mundane

      when we seek Him in it.

What is the uncultivated land

                    in our lives

     that we have ignored

                       or passed over,

the hard crusty unplowed ground

   that is incredibly sacred in His sight,

          just waiting to burst forth,

   right beneath our feet?)

O LORD,

Help us to see this day

    not as ordinary or stressful,

    but to seek You in it.

Guide our thoughts,

order our days,

align our hearts with Yours,

that You will transform

    the dry desert

    into what bears fruit.

Empower us with Your wisdom

       and vision

to see this day differently,

to come before You,

and to run like the wind

                      with You.

You bring Your fruit

    in unexpected places.