I am the voice of one

crying in the wilderness,

"Make straight

the way of the LORD."

           John 1. 23

(Bring the name of Jesus

                there.

Even when you think

  no one is listening

  in this volatile place.

Others are always

           watching you,

not to see if you are perfect,

but to see

          if God is real.)

O LORD,

Let Your Presence prevail

in this wilderness place.

Use this situation

   and these relationships

that others will come

           to know You,

and we would deeper know

   that You are the LORD.

Know that the LORD,

  He is God!

It is He who made us,

     and not we ourselves;

we are His people,

and the sheep

           of His pasture.

           Psalm 100. 3

(The most basic worldview question:

     "where did I come from?"

How you answer that

  impacts how you see God,

and thereby how you treat others,

   and how you see yourself.

You belong to Him.

You are loved by Him.)

O LORD,

You are Creator

of the spectacular universe

   and Creator of me.

Thank You

that You are God

    and I don't have to be.

...but did not ask

     counsel from the LORD.

                Judges 9. 14

(Always a bad move,

that which changes

not just the trajectory

of my day,

      but of my life,

and impacts

   everyone around me.)

O LORD,

Show me Your way

    through this.

Not my will,

           but Yours.

Because you have made

the LORD your dwelling place

--the Most High,

      who is my refuge--

no evil shall be allowed

          to befall you,

no plague

      come near your tent.

For He will command

  His angels concerning you

     to guard you

     in all your ways.

                 Psalm 91. 9-11

(Even in the hard places,

even in the pain,

in spite of lingering wounds,

there is nothing

        God cannot redeem,

nothing He cannot

        bring you through.

Dwell in Him.)

O LORD,

You have not promised

that life will be easy,

but that

      "I am with you."

Be triumphant in this,

                O God.

Use it for Your glory.

...and build an altar

       to the LORD your God

on top of the stronghold here.

                   Judges 6. 26

(How do I deal

with this volatile situation,

this scary place,

these impossible people?

Worship God through it.

Bring the name of Jesus

                       there.

That changes everything.

Even my heart.)

O LORD,

Help me to build an altar

                   to You

in unlikely places

and on top of my fear.

Be glorified in this day.

Even in this,

              You reign.

Does not the LORD

   go out before you?

            Judges 4. 14

(Depends if I am following Him,

or just want Him to

    squeeze into my plans.

How differently I would live

   if I grasped the reality

   of His Presence.

Even in this.)

O LORD,

Help me to not

    lay my agenda before You,

but be open and willing

  and responsive

to Your plans for me.

Totally different trajectory,

entirely different outcome,

  even in what I cannot yet see.

Help me

to follow You

into Your divine appointments

                even today,

                even in this.

Do this

in remembrance of Me.

            Luke 22. 19

(Whatever God places

before me today.

Even in this.)

O LORD,

Keep our eyes on You

through thick and thin today,

keep our hearts

focused on Your glory,

not on circumstances,

   either favorable or difficult.

May we not just remember You,

     but be found in You.