Even in Every Careless Word

 

...we hear them telling

in our own tongues

the mighty works of God.

           Acts 2. 11

(God uses our own words, 

stories He has given us,

ordinary experiences we carry,

our native languages

      and even accents,

so that others can hear

   and understand the Truth

in a way that suddenly

  makes sense to them.

We speak the gospel.

God translates

    into the hearts

    of those around us,

even those we would

            never expect,

even those we didn't think

     were listening).

O LORD,

You have strategically placed

   us in all time and space

to bring the gospel here

     in so many words.

Please help us

   not just to put it into words,

but to emulate Your truth

   by how we respond

   to others even today.

Make the invisible visible.

Make Your glory audible.

May Your love seep through

        every careless word.

We never know who is listening.

We never know

    whose lives are being changed.

All redeemed in Your hands.

             Every word.

No Ordinary Days on God's Calendar

And the LORD brought about

   a great victory that day.

               2 Samuel 23. 10

(That doesn't always mean

     winning first place,

     achieving the gold medal,

     or doing the happy dance

from our perspective,

      but redeeming in His.

When we follow Him into it,

God does what only

         He can do

in overwhelming situations

or even what we see

       as an ordinary day.

Huge triumphs take place

  on regular days,

often overlooked,

    explained away,

or beyond our radar.

There are no ordinary days

     on God's calendar.

There are no small victories.

Submitting our hearts to Him

  may be the

  greatest victory of all

       --- or lead to it.

Even when we think

        that all is lost,

God redeems.)

O LORD,

We pray that You are

already in the process

of bringing about

   a great victory in this day.

Please make us

  not just aware of Your Presence,

      but responsive to You.

Guide our hearts.

Order our days.

Bring Your glory to it,

  in whatever way that may look

  in these circumstances.

We do not just acknowledge 

       what You do.

We praise You for

           who You are.

 

Different Heart. Different Journey. Different Outcome.

 

I am one of those who are

peaceable and faithful

                in Israel.

        2 Samuel 20. 19

(Find another way through

    this conflict and turmoil.

Bring an olive branch

           and healing

instead of animosity

           and ammunition.

Grace and soft answers

are always unexpected

and resound

            for generations.

How can we approach and

navigate this impossible situation

          differently

because we are believers?

       Only in Him.

Different heart.

Different journey.

And a way different outcome.)

O LORD,

Soften our hearts

and change our minds

that we may find Your way

    through this trouble.

Show us Your path.

Grant us Your strength

    to not react,

    but respond,

and follow You into it.

Show us the steps

    not just to resolution,

but to Your love in this.

And because we love You,

may we be known

as the peaceable and

       faithful ones.

Spread Your glory thick.

The Fish That Don't Get Away

 

"Cast the net

on the right side of the boat,

and you will find some."

So they cast it,

and now they were not able

to haul it in,

because of the quantity

             of fish.

            John 21. 6

(Have we considered

   asking God about

this hard situation,

this dilemma,

this seeming failure?

And then,

   responding to Him?

Listen to Me.

God reveals what is

   beyond our field of vision.

"Where did that come from?"

    Do we acknowledge Him?

Have we even tried

   the other side of the boat?

Not just to give thought to,

   but pray through.

God is not with us

  just for 911 calls.

But abiding with us.

The fish are there.

We just aren't seeing them

  until we follow Him into it.)

O LORD,

You empower us to step

    beyond our discouragement

and into Your vision

   for this situation.

Show us Your way through,

even in what we have

   not considered yet,

or what we may not

  even be looking for.

You unfold the details.

You reveal Yourself.

You write Your name

      all over it

to draw us closer to You.

And to be a witness to others.

We give You

           all the glory,

no matter how many fish,

no matter what kind,

because there is always

something deeper at stake.

This One Thing I Can Do

...brought beds, basins,

and earthen vessels, wheat,

barley, flour, parched grain,

beans and lentils, honey

and curds and sheep

and cheese from the herd,

for David and the people

with him to eat, for they said,

"The people are hungry

and weary and thirsty

    in the wilderness."

           2 Samuel 17. 28-29

(It is not just for us to be

      aware of a need,

but to respond to it.

Not should we help,

    but how can we?

What is even one thing in

    our power to do?

Hungry, weary, and thirsty

   comes in many sizes.

So does compassion.)

O LORD,

Grant to us the vision to see

    the needs all around us.

Empower us with hearts

    to respond.

No matter what we face today,

      or who we encounter,

may our pockets be full

of Your grace and kindness.

 

Not The Boss of Me

 

Keep steady my steps

according to Your promise,

and let no iniquity get

   dominion over me.

           Psalm 119. 133

(God did not promise us

smooth asphalted highways,

but He holds our hands

    on those potholed roads

and where there is no path at all

     through the thicket.

Literally in the Hebrew it says,

"Establish my footsteps

           in Your Word.

Let not ANY trouble, sorrow,

       or wickedness

have mastery or power over me."

These dire circumstances

nor even another person's sin

     has power over us.

Release us.

May we walk straight through,

     undistracted by threats,

   lifted up when we stumble,

and fly over sheer cliffs,

          when necessary.

"Bind ourselves to Thee,"

    Saint Patrick wrote.

And don't even let

   our thoughts go elsewhere.)

O LORD,

Let the only dominion over us

           be You.

May Your grace

    and supernatural power

    protect us from harm,

both what is real

    and what is imagined.

Keep steady our steps,

           Almighty One.

And even in deep shadows,

past growling beasts,

    and among sleeping dragons,

help us to see in the dark

and walk right through

                 with You.

God Does The Heavy Lifting

 

I will come upon him

while he is weary

and discouraged

and throw him in a panic...

          2 Samuel 17. 2

(That is always

the adversary's agenda:

   wear us down,

   wear us out,

and panic opens the door

          to an ambush.

The adversary threatens,

"It will always be this way."

But God

  pushes back the darkness.

May we learn to seek God

     in the overwhelming.

And listen to His voice in this.

As Oswald Chambers said,

  "We act like pagans 

                in the crisis."

But God shows us

     a new path through

when we keep our eyes

          on Him alone,

when we have something

               to eat, and

when we get some sleep.

Worry shuts out

      all available light.

Fear deflates our tires.

But God says,

     "I've got you.")

O LORD,

Please let not the darkness

    nor our weariness

chip away our defenses.

You are our shield.

Protect, defend

     and strengthen us

in these circumstances.

Carry us through.

Our eyes are on You.

Show us Your way

   and hold us tight.