...their brothers the Levites

             helped them,

until the work

     was finished.

     2 Chronicles 29. 34

(Am I willing

     to come alongside others

     to help?

In the eyes of those

who seek God,

        all is ministry,

nothing beneath us,

nothing too great,

never "not my job"

    or "not my gift."

We work

    and worship together

in every capacity

and dimension of ministry.

The strength of fellowship

            and the church

    is being willing

    to be used by Him.)

O LORD,

Help us to seize

   moments of ministry

as they unfold before us

and as we see need

       all around us,

even in what

is not labeled as ministry.

Use us for Your Kingdom

and glory

to bind wounds,

bring grace

      to volatile situations,

wash feet or dishes

  or pick up a mess.

Even if no one

   ever sees us,

let them be pointed to You

and Your glory revealed.

         

 

Even though

I walk through the valley

   of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff,

   they comfort me.

             Psalm 23. 4

(Let not the familiarity

of this profound passage

deflate its strength.

Even though,

even there,

even right here in this,

realizing His Presence

changes everything about us

     and what we face.)

O LORD,

May we recite, repeat,

and engrave these words

    in our hearts and lives

that we may know that

circumstances have

      no power over You

nor over Your Presence

                 with us.

Help us to walk with You

in the every days

that we would know how

to walk with You

       in the darkness.

You are with us.

 

Yet He sent prophets

          among them

to bring them back

          to the LORD.

These testified against them,

but they would not

            pay attention.

         2 Chronicles 24. 19

(Our responsibility is to

remain faithful to God

in the face of defiance,

opposition

or even apathy.

Even if it does not appear

that anyone is even listening,

     we are to stand

     as a faithful witness.

God redeems

   all kinds of faithfulness,

far beyond our lifetimes,

spilling over

for generations to come.

You never know

     who is listening

     or watching to see

if God is real.)

O LORD,

You do not call us

to be successful

but to be faithful to You.

You redeem

   when we respond to You.

Even if we cannot see

the impact of our witness,

help us to know

You are working

      deeply through us.

 

...that they should be the

      LORD's people.

     2 Chronicles 23. 16

(Wherever we are,

in whatever we do,

Whom we worship,

how we respond,

how we love, serve

   and be faithful

in impossible places.

May we see ourselves

       as His people.

May we act that way,

   may we live

   before Him that way.

God's people see God

          differently,

see circumstances

          differently,

see others differently,

and make different

   choices to love Him

   and love others.

Others are watching

      how we walk.)

O LORD,

May our with-ness with You

be our witness to others

          of Your Presence

and how Your steadfast love

    changes our hearts.

We love You.

We need You.

May we be Your people

   even into this day,

aware of You,

sensitive to Your calling

      upon our lives.

 

And when they began

to sing and praise...

     2 Chronicles 20. 22

(Our first line of defense

is to worship God.

Singing and praising

does not just

   put worship into words,

but into our hearts.

When we respond

to favor or calamity

with songs and

     words of praise

     to the Almighty,

something radically different

begins to happen.

We are not distracted

     from seeking Him.

Praise is not just

       what we do,

but what it does to us.

We put God in His rightful place.

And fear cannot take root.)

O LORD,

We praise You

in the morning

to set the tone for the day.

May words of worship

and praise to You

    get stuck in our heads

to infiltrate

      every detail of our day.

 

...but sought the God

          of his father

and walked in

     His commandments.

Therefore the LORD

established the kingdom

           in his hand...

His heart was courageous

in the ways of the LORD.

         2 Chronicles 17. 4-6

(Seeking the LORD

produces a fresh courage

in the familiar

and the unknown

and in the overwhelming.

We approach circumstances

             differently,

because we see God

       and the situation

                 differently.

The situation may not change

      but our hearts are altered

      with His strength.

Courage is not being brave

       despite circumstances,

but relying on the Almighty

       in the midst of them.

Not being caught up in

   what might happen,

but God's Presence in it

           and with us.

What do we choose?

Our own strength

          or His?)

O LORD,

Thank You for Your mercies on us,

Your strength in the midst

    of what should bring us down,

Your protection and provision

    even in ways we are not aware,

Your fresh courage

    when we are weary,

Your faithfulness

   even when we are not,

Your steadfast love

   which endures forever.

Help us to face this day

differently

because we walk with You.

There are no small obediences

           in Your sight.

And nothing that

    You cannot redeem.

 

"...because we have

sought the LORD our God.

We have sought Him,

and He has given us

  peace on every side."

So they built

       and prospered.

       2 Chronicles 14. 7

(Because we seek Him

and not just an answer,

a different path

       is revealed

and a far different outcome.

God provides the opportunity,

the space,

the margin,

and the bandwidth to do

something completely new,

when we are not distracted

           away from Him.

"I never thought of it

          that way."

God's peace on every side

means both outwardly

              and inwardly,

not just getting along with others,

but bringing peace to the table.)

O LORD,

There is so much before us.

Guide us not just through

but lead us

    that we may know You more.

Help us to rely on You

and go forth in Your name

on the everydays,

not just in the overwhelming.

Anoint this day, O LORD.

Appoint us

      to Your purposes

      and Your glory.