Dry Feet

 

He rebuked the Red Sea,

and it became dry,

and He led them through the deep

    as though a desert.

So He saved them

    from the power of the enemy.

                       Psalm 106. 9-10

(When we follow Him

     into what is before us,

God leads us in unlikely ways,

   even in the midst,

   even right through what we fear,

           both real and imagined,

   right past the watchful dragons,

        on unexpected dry ground.

When we trust Him,

we approach, navigate

       and walk differently,

                because we can.

We all have Red Seas.

But we can choose

              to walk with Him.

How does that look

         differently today?)

O LORD,

Whatever our overwhelming

           difficulties, situations,

           and fears,

You are with us.

You walk with us

    with Your Presence

    and Your purposes.

Help us to seek You

             in this very day

and choose to follow You

   with Your strength and wisdom

   and grace at every turn.

Help us to walk differently

    even in the familiar depths,

    even in unfamiliar steps,

and bring Your name

      to impossible situations

for Your glory today.

 

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What Are You Doing?

 

Son of man,

has not the house of Israel,

    the rebellious house,

said to you,

   "What are you doing?"

           Ezekiel 12. 9

(As believers, we approach,

     navigate and respond

                    differently,

   because we follow Christ.

Does anyone see

   any difference in

            how we live,

what choices we make,

        how we love others?

We are not perfect,

     nor just "nice" people,

                   but forgiven.

We worship God

           in everything we do,

    actions, words,

                even attitudes.)

O LORD,

May others see in us

  the difference,

  and the transformation

    that You make in our hearts,

by following You in Your ways,

through radical and unexpected ways

        of loving other people,

and by being faithful and selfless.

Please grant to us the courage

   and strength and grace

            to be known as Yours.

And live that way.

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What We Can Know

 

Do not boast about tomorrow,

for you do not know

what a day may bring.

               Proverbs 27. 1

(But we can pray,

we can seek God,

we can place all things

             in His hands,

    and we can trust Him in it.

God does not want us

    to control circumstances

    and surmount them

                   on our own,

    but to abide in Him.

He will provide His strength.

And so, in His hands,

    tomorrow is not a scary thing,

             but full of His glory.

We need not walk

           this path alone.)

O LORD,

You go before us,

You have our backs,

You walk with us.

Please keep fear from

    blocking out the light.

Help us to keep our eyes

                  on You.

You order our days.

You guide our thoughts

   in what to do

   and what to pursue.

Anoint this day

   and appoint our steps.

Redeem even the hard stuff

          for Your glory.

Even the unknown

     is not unknown to You.

Prepare our way,

      equip our hearts,

and help us to not

              run ahead of You.

When You See Something, Say Something

 

O give thanks to the LORD,

call upon His name,

make known His deeds

        among the peoples!

Sing to Him,

sing praises to Him,

tell of all His wondrous works!

                   Psalm 105. 1-2

(Constantly on the lookout

    for God's hand,

    sacred encounters,

    divine appointments,

    the wonders of His creation,

    and the amazing ways

          He guides and strengthens.

It is not just about recognizing

     God's Presence with us,

but acknowledging in words

          before others

     what God has done.

Things do not just happen.

Our words point others to Him

   and remind us continually

          of His steadfast love.

At some point every day,

     make Him known.

How differently those words

     will even change us.)

O LORD,

Thank You that we do not

    have to walk this road alone.

You are with us.

Please help us to acknowledge You

             before others verbally.

Open our eyes to opportunities

     to speak of You,

even in unexpected places

   and among unlikely people.

Bring Your glory here.

   

What We Don't See From Where We Stand

 

...and You renew

      the face of the ground.

             Psalm 104. 30

(No matter how barren it looks,

God is cultivating

       incredible fruit in our lives.

We have seasons of rest,

seasons of visible fruit

      of His Spirit

      and of our labors,

and seasons where

    we take root downward

    and bear fruit upward.

In the pale days of winter

       without signs of life,

the trees are busiest,

             growing their most,

gaining strength

    for the spectacle of spring.)

O LORD,

You bring the growth

    to the landscapes of our lives

that appear on the surface

                  as abandoned.

But You are doing a great

      and mighty work in us

      and through us.

Help us to be patient

          with this season,

eyes open wide

         to sow Your grace

      and cultivate hearts all around us.

Please help us to be faithful

         to Your glory

and generous with Your grace,

knowing You have planted

    something eternal in us.

Renew, O LORD,

    the face of this ground

    in Your timing

    and for Your glory.

Strategically Positioned

 

...and the hand of the LORD

     was upon him there.

                Ezekiel 1. 3

(Wherever we are,

in whatever we are doing,

among whom we move,

God has strategically

         placed us here

   for His divine purposes

   and for His incredible glory.

We can trust Him

   in these circumstances,

perhaps unlikely and unexpected,

       but never random.

Be faithful anyway.

And sense His Presence here.

Be not afraid. I am with you.)

O LORD,

In this day,

in this place,

even in the awkward and difficult,

please help us to be a witness

         to others

                     of who You are.

Fill our pockets overflowing with grace.

Order our days,

     establish Your appointed steps in it.

Anoint this day with Your Word.

Redeem for Your glory,

    even what we don't understand.

Full Benefits Package

 

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all His benefits,

Who forgives all your iniquity,

Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems

    your life from the pit,

Who crowns you

   with steadfast love and mercy,

Who satisfies you with good

   so that your youth is renewed

                    like the eagles.

                   Psalm 103. 2-5

(Do we recognize and acknowledge

     the blessings of God in our lives?

The LORD has us covered

   in more ways than we can imagine.

       Even in the really difficult places,

                 we can trust Him.

We seek God's blessings,

   but do we seek to bless Him?

 Do we point others to His love

             in all we do and speak?)

O LORD,

May we bless You today

   wherever You strategically place us,

   even in unlikely situations

       or among impossible people.

May we bless Your holy name,

   aware of Your goodness to us,

responsive to the needs around us,

to be faithful to You,

and to be a strong witness

           of Your love and grace.

We are called by Your name.

May we honor You.