Mar 21 Overabundant Blessing!

O Lord, how often do I make my own plan, instead of seeking Yours, or going along with the one You started me out on?  How many blessings have I missed, because I went my own way?

The Reubenites and Gadites saw with their eyes, that the land they were on was good enough for them; and asked for it rather than waiting for the land You had promised to all the tribes.  In their view, what they were seeing was good enough, and it was given to them.  I wonder if they prayed about that decision?  Or how they sought wisdom on the matter?  Or if they were just tired of being on the move and wanted to stop and settle?

Down the road it caused misunderstanding and cost lives.

It was not Your plan, but You allowed it.

When Jesus taught and healed in the town of Capernaum in Galilee, the people searched Him out and tried to keep Him from leaving.  Who wouldn’t want to hang on to a miracle worker?  Healer?  Gifted teacher?   But the will of the people did not line up with Your divine purposes.

It was not Your plan, and You did not allow it.

Jesus was not a fisherman.  But He got into a fisherman’s boat.  He instructed the men to put out into deep water and let down the nets at a time and place that made no sense by fishermen’s wisdom.   The men did, acting in obedience to Your sovereignty.

When they obeyed and went along with Your plan, they were blessed to overflowing!  They had to call a backup boat, and even then, the boats filled to almost sinking with fish!

It was Your plan, and although it made no sense by human wisdom, it brought overabundant blessing!

Dear Father, I want that overabundant blessing in my life!  I desire to align myself with Your will and Your purpose.  I lay down my wish to “do it my way” or according to my own wisdom, in favor of Your revelation and Your blessing.

In these troubling times, so many plans are falling apart. So many people are suffering and their lives are in distress as the peace and the health of the world are in question. We cannot see the future to make plans according to our “wisdom” any longer.

Help us lean into You! Hear Your instruction clearly.  Embolden us to act with godly wisdom.  Keep us on the path of Your plan.   And let us receive Your blessing with gratitude and thanksgiving!  Amen

Numbers 32:1-42; Luke 4:31-5:11

Dec 14 I am so Jonah!

Father, what wonderful lessons I’ve learned from Jonah!  And about Jonah and about You.  He is so human…  And You are so God…

You spoke to Jonah, giving him a view of Your plan for him and specific directions using the gifts and talents You placed in him.   And You speak to Your people today.  You have given each of us gifts and talents to use in accordance with Your plan.

Help me hear Your voice clearly when You speak. 

Give me direction and a view of Your purpose for my gifts.

Jonah thought he could get away with being disobedient.  He thought he could hide from You.  Silly man.  And silly me!  There have been times when I did not follow Your direction.  I never ended up in the belly of a great fish, but I did miss out on some wonderful opportunities.

Remind me of that when I consider disobedience in the future.

You have everything under Your control!  Not only did You see where Jonah went, meaning there in no place to hide from You; but You were in control of everything around him.  The weather?  You brought the storm!  And calmed it.  A large fish?  You brought it to swallow Jonah, and it obeyed Your command to vomit him onto dry land.  The same thing is true of the events and circumstances, relationships and opportunities in my life.

Remind me that You see me wherever I am. 

And that there is nowhere I can go away from You. 

And nothing beyond Your power.

Jonah called out to You, “In [his] distress…”  Even when he thought his life was over, and knowing he had been disobedient, he prayed to You.  There is no circumstance where I cannot call on You.

It is never too late, I can never be too bad, I am never too far-gone.

You answered!  Even in the bowels of death and disobedience, You heard and answered Jonah’s prayer and rescued him.

You are a God of second chances!  And third and fourth…  You want Your people to be obedient.  You coach them to win, giving them every opportunity to do so.  And I am one of Your people.

Thank You for giving me second chances and more. 

Thank You for always hearing my prayer and answering me.

Jonah obeyed eventually.  What I take from this is:  obey the first time – it will save me a lot of grief!

Thank You for this view into Jonah’s life.  It is a view into my own.  And into Your greatness.  Because You are so God…  And I am so human…  Amen

Jonah 1:1-3:3

June 2 Guide me

Father, thank You for meeting me where I am. Don’t ever let me try to live life without You.  Even when I don’t know which way to go, I desire the companionship of Your company and the blessing You offer when I am following Your instruction. 

 After Your resurrection, several of Your disciples returned to fishing.  But one long night when their efforts yielded no catch, You found them.  From the shore, You told them to throw down their nets on the right side of the boat.  And an enormous catch was brought in.  You blessed their obedience.

Lord, there are so many things pulling at me, personally and in our world today – Covid, injustice, disunity, evil abounds in abuse of power and misinformation.  So many things seem broken; and that’s on the large scale of what’s happening in the world and in my country.  I am saddened and overwhelmed.

Father, please bring comfort and healing to those families who have suffered at the hands of evil men and women.  Rescue them and bring them the peace that only You can.  Expose and punish the evil ones.  Let us see Your justice.

Father, when we feel lost, individually or as a nation; find us wherever we are. Show us how to be obedient and where the blessing is.  Thank You for this lesson that even when I come to the end of my efforts and have tried to do things on my own, You stand ready to show me the way.  Help me be humble enough to accept Your instruction, and obedient to follow it.  Amen

John 21:1-14

Mar 31 God makes a little – a lot

A crowd came because they were hungry to hear from and be healed by You, Jesus.  In staying late, they also grew hungry physically.  Your disciples had only five loaves of bread and two fish; not even enough to feed the twelve of them, much less a crowd of five thousand.

But You took what was offered, looked up to heaven, gave thanks and broke it.  And that meager amount was miraculously multiplied to provide enough food for more than five thousand people to eat and be satisfied, with more left over than there was at the start!

Oh Lord, You have placed gifts in me and in each one of us that are to be shared.  Like the bread and the fish, it may not look like much to begin with.  But You can make what looks like a little, a lot!

What matters is not what things look like here on earth through man’s eyes.  What matters is that the gifts are available to be used by You.

So Father, when we look at the problems in the world, and are overwhelmed, remind each of us to offer what we have.  Let us all look to You with thanksgiving in our hearts, asking that You bless us and break us to spread the gifts You have placed in each of us.  Use it to make a blessing for others that will bring honor and glory to Your name.

My resources are meager.  And my ability to make anything happen is feeble.  But I trust that in Your hands, You can do more than I could ask or even imagine!

Because You are the One True God, with You, nothing is impossible!  Amen

Luke 9:10-17

Mar 21 Overabundant Blessing!

O Lord, how often do I make my own plan, instead of seeking Yours, or going along with the one You started me out on?  How many blessings have I missed, because I went my own way?

The Reubenites and Gadites saw with their eyes, that the land they were on was good enough for them; and asked for it rather than waiting for the land You had promised to all the tribes.  In their view, what they were seeing was good enough, and it was given to them.  I wonder if they prayed about that decision?  Or how they sought wisdom on the matter?  Or if they were just tired of being on the move and wanted to stop and settle?

Down the road it caused misunderstanding and cost lives.

It was not Your plan, but You allowed it.

When Jesus taught and healed in the town of Capernaum in Galilee, the people searched Him out and tried to keep Him from leaving.  Who wouldn’t want to hang on to a miracle worker?  Healer?  Gifted teacher?   But the will of the people did not line up with Your divine purposes.

It was not Your plan, and You did not allow it.

Jesus was not a fisherman.  But He got into a fisherman’s boat.  He instructed the men to put out into deep water and let down the nets at a time and place that made no sense by fishermen’s wisdom.   The men did, acting in obedience to Your sovereignty.

When they obeyed and went along with Your plan, they were blessed to overflowing!  They had to call a backup boat, and even then, the boats filled to almost sinking with fish!

It was Your plan, and although it made no sense by human wisdom, it brought overabundant blessing!

Dear Father, I want that overabundant blessing in my life!  I desire to align myself with Your will and Your purpose.  I lay down my wish to “do it my way” or according to my own wisdom, in favor of Your revelation and Your blessing.

In these troubling times, so many plans are falling apart. So many people are suffering and their lives are in distress as the peace and the health of the world are in question. We cannot see the future to make plans according to our “wisdom” any longer.

Help us lean into You! Hear Your instruction clearly.  Embolden us to act with godly wisdom.  Keep us on the path of Your plan.   And let us receive Your blessing with gratitude and thanksgiving!  Amen

Numbers 32:1-42; Luke 4:31-5:11

Dec 14 I am so Jonah!

Father, what wonderful lessons I’ve learned from Jonah!  And about Jonah and about You.  He is so human…  And You are so God…

You spoke to Jonah, giving him a view of Your plan for him and specific directions using the gifts and talents You placed in him.   And You speak to Your people today.  You have given each of us gifts and talents to use in accordance with Your plan.

Help me hear Your voice clearly when You speak. 

Give me direction and a view of Your purpose for my gifts.

Jonah thought he could get away with being disobedient.  He thought he could hide from You.  Silly man.  And silly me!  There have been times when I did not follow Your direction.  I never ended up in the belly of a great fish, but I did miss out on some wonderful opportunities.

Remind me of that when I consider disobedience in the future.

You have everything under Your control!  Not only did You see where Jonah went, meaning there in no place to hide from You; but You were in control of everything around him.  The weather?  You brought the storm!  And calmed it.  A large fish?  You brought it to swallow Jonah, and it obeyed Your command to vomit him onto dry land.  The same thing is true of the events and circumstances, relationships and opportunities in my life.

Remind me that You see me wherever I am.  And that there is nowhere I can go away from You. 

And nothing beyond Your power.

Jonah called out to You, “In [his] distress…”  Even when he thought his life was over, and knowing he had been disobedient, he prayed to You.  There is no circumstance where I cannot call on You.

It is never too late, I can never be too bad, I am never too far-gone.

You answered!  Even in the bowels of death and disobedience, You heard and answered Jonah’s prayer and rescued him.

You are a God of second chances!  And third and fourth…  You want Your people to be obedient.  You coach them to win, giving them every opportunity to do so.  And I am one of Your people.

Thank You for giving me second chances and more. 

Thank You for always hearing my prayer and answering me.

Jonah obeyed eventually.  What I take from this is:  obey the first time – it will save me a lot of grief!

Thank You for this view into Jonah’s life.  It is a view into my own.  And into Your greatness.  Because You are so God…  And I am so human…  Amen

Jonah 1:1-3:3

June 2 Guide me

Father, thank You for meeting me where I am. Don’t ever let me try to live life without You.  Even when I don’t know which way to go, I desire the companionship of Your company and the blessing You offer when I am following Your instruction. 

After Your resurrection, several of Your disciples returned to fishing.  But one long night when their efforts yielded no catch, You found them.  From the shore, You told them to throw down their nets on the right side of the boat.  And an enormous catch was brought in.  You blessed their obedience.

Lord, there are so many things pulling at me, personally and in our world today – Covid, injustice, disunity, evil abounding in abuse of power.  So many things seem broken; and that’s on the large scale of what’s happening in the world and in my country.  I am saddened and overwhelmed.

Father, please bring comfort and healing to those families who have suffered at the hands of evil men and women.  Rescue them and bring them the peace that only You can.  Expose and punish the evil ones.  Let us see Your justice.

Father, when we feel lost, individually or as a nation; find us wherever we are. Show us how to be obedient and where the blessing is.  Thank You for this lesson that even when I come to the end of my efforts and have tried to do things on my own, You stand ready to show me the way.  Help me be humble enough to accept Your instruction, and obedient to follow it.  Amen

John 21:1-14

Mar 31 God makes a little a lot

A crowd came because they were hungry to hear from and be healed by You, Jesus.  In staying late, they also grew hungry physically.  Your disciples had only five loaves of bread and two fish; not even enough to feed the twelve of them, much less a crowd of five thousand.

But You took what was offered, looked up to heaven, gave thanks and broke it.  And that meager amount was miraculously multiplied to provide enough food for more than five thousand people to eat and be satisfied, with more left over than there was at the start!

Oh Lord, You have placed gifts in me and in each one of us that are to be shared.  Like the bread and the fish, it may not look like much to begin with.  But You do not make mistakes.

What matters is not what things look like here on earth through man’s eyes.  What matters is that the gifts are available to be used by You.

So Father, in these challenging times, help us each offer what we have.  Let us all look to You with thanksgiving in our hearts, asking that You bless us and break us to spread the gifts You have placed in each of us.  Use it to make a blessing for others that will bring honor and glory to Your name.

My resources are meager.  And my ability to make anything happen is feeble.  But I trust that in Your hands, You can do more than I could ask or even imagine!

Because You are the One True God, with You, nothing is impossible!  Amen

Luke 9:10-17

Mar 21 Overabundant blessing!

O Lord, how often do I make my own plan, instead of seeking Yours, or going along with the one You started me out on?  How many blessings have I missed, because I went my own way?

The Reubenites and Gadites saw with their eyes, that the land they were on was good enough for them; and asked for it rather than waiting for the land You had promised to all the tribes.  In their view, what they were seeing was good enough, and it was given to them.  I wonder if they prayed about that decision?  Or how they sought wisdom on the matter?  Or if they were just tired of being on the move and wanted to stop and settle?

Down the road it caused misunderstanding and cost lives.  It was not Your plan, but You allowed it.

When Jesus taught and healed in the town of Capernaum in Galilee, the people searched Him out and tried to keep Him from leaving.  Who wouldn’t want to hang on to a miracle worker?  Healer?  Gifted teacher?   But the will of the people did not line up with Your divine purposes.

It was not Your plan, and You did not allow it.

Jesus was not a fisherman.  But He got into a fisherman’s boat.  He instructed the men to put out into deep water and let down the nets at a time and place that made no sense by fishermen’s wisdom.   The men did, acting in obedience to Your sovereignty.

When they obeyed and went along with Your plan, they were blessed to overflowing!  They had to call a backup boat, and even then, the boats filled to almost sinking with fish!

It was Your plan, and although it made no sense by human wisdom, it brought overabundant blessing!

Dear Father, I want that overabundant blessing in my life!  I desire to align myself with Your will and Your purpose.  I lay down my wish to “do it my way” or according to my own wisdom, in favor of Your revelation and Your blessing.

Help us lean into You! Hear Your instruction clearly.  Embolden us to act with godly wisdom.  Keep us on the path of Your plan.   And let us receive Your blessing with gratitude and thanksgiving!  Amen

Numbers 32:1-42; Luke 4:31-5:11

Dec 14 I am so Jonah!

Father, what wonderful lessons I’ve learned from Jonah!  And about Jonah and about You.  He is so human…  And You are so God…

You spoke to Jonah, giving him a view of Your plan for him and specific directions using the gifts and talents You placed in him.   And You speak to Your people today.  You have given each of us gifts and talents to use in accordance with Your plan.

Help me hear Your voice clearly when You speak.  Give me direction and a view of Your purpose for my gifts.

Jonah thought he could get away with being disobedient.  He thought he could hide from You.  Silly man.  And silly me!  There have been times when I did not follow Your direction.  I never ended up in the belly of a great fish, but I did miss out on some wonderful opportunities.

Remind me of that when I consider disobedience in the future.

You have everything under Your control!  Not only did You see where Jonah went, meaning there in no place to hide from You; but You were in control of everything around him.  The weather?  You brought the storm!  And calmed it.  A large fish?  You brought it to swallow Jonah, and it obeyed Your command to vomit him onto dry land.  The same thing is true of the events and circumstances, relationships and opportunities in my life.

Remind me that You see me wherever I am.  And that there is nowhere I can go away from You.  And nothing beyond Your power.

Jonah called out to You, “In [his] distress…”  Even when he thought his life was over, and knowing he had been disobedient, he prayed to You.  There is no circumstance where I cannot call on You.

It is never too late, I can never be too bad, I am never too far-gone.

You answered!  Even in the bowels of death and disobedience, You heard and answered Jonah’s prayer and rescued him.

You are a God of second chances!  And third and fourth…  You want Your people to be obedient.  You coach them to win, giving them every opportunity to do so.  And I am one of Your people.

Thank You for giving me second chances and more.  Thank You for always hearing my prayer and answering me.

Jonah obeyed eventually.  What I take from this is:  obey the first time – it will save me a lot of grief!

Thank You for this view into Jonah’s life.  It is a view into my own.  And into Your greatness.  Because You are so God…  And I am so human…  Amen

Jonah 1:1-3:3

June 2 Guide me

Father, thank You for meeting me where I am. Don’t ever let me try to live life without You.  Even when I don’t know which way to go, I desire the companionship of Your company and the blessing You offer when I am following Your instruction.

After Your resurrection, several of Your disciples returned to fishing.  But one long night when their efforts yielded no catch, You found them.  From the shore, You told them to throw down their nets on the right side of the boat.  And an enormous catch was brought in.  You blessed their obedience.

Lord, there are so many things pulling at me in our world today – the pandemic, injustice, disunity, evil abounding in abuse of power.  So many things seem broken; and that’s on the large scale of what’s happening in the world and in my country.  I am saddened and overwhelmed.

Father, please bring comfort and healing to those families who have suffered at the hands of evil men and women.  Rescue them and bring them the peace that only You can.  Expose and punish the evil ones. Let us see Your justice.

Father, when we feel lost, individually or as a nation; find us wherever we are. Show us how to be obedient and where the blessing is.  Thank You for this lesson that even when I come to the end of my efforts and have tried to do things on my own, You stand ready to show me the way.  Help me be humble enough to accept Your instruction, and obedient to follow it.  Amen

John 21:1-14; Psalm 120:1-4

Mar 31 God makes a little a lot

A crowd came because they were hungry to hear from and be healed by You, Jesus.  In staying late, they also grew hungry physically.  Your disciples had only five loaves of bread and two fish; not even enough to feed the twelve of them, much less a crowd of five thousand.

But You took what was there, looked up to heaven, gave thanks and broke it.  And that meager amount was miraculously multiplied to provide enough for more than five thousand people to eat and be satisfied, with more left over than there was at the start!

Oh Lord, You have placed gifts in me and in each one of us that are to be shared.  Like the bread and the fish, it may not look like much to begin with.  But You do not make mistakes.

What matters is not what things look like here on earth through man’s eyes.  What matters is that the gifts are available to be used by You.

So Father, in these times of crisis, help us each offer what we have.  Let us overcome the selfish, hoarding, greedy ways of the flesh and look to You with thanksgiving in our hearts.

Father bless us and break us to release the gifts You have placed in us.  Use what You have given us to make a blessing for others that will bring glory and honor to Your name.

Because of who You are: the One True God, the Lord Jesus Christ, You can do more than we can say or do, more than we can ask or even imagine!

With You, nothing is impossible!  Amen

Luke 9:10-17

Mar 21 Overabundant blessing!

O Lord, how often do I make my own plan, instead of seeking Yours, or going along with the one You started me out on?  How many blessings have I missed, because I went my own way?

The Reubenites and Gadites saw with their eyes, that the land they were on was good enough for them; and asked for it rather than waiting for the land You had promised to all the tribes.  In their view, what they were seeing was good enough, and it was given to them.  I wonder if they prayed about that decision?  Or how they sought wisdom on the matter?  Or if they were just tired of being on the move and wanted to stop and settle?

Down the road it caused misunderstanding and cost lives.  It was not Your plan, but You allowed it.

When Jesus taught and healed in the town of Capernaum in Galilee, the people searched Him out and tried to keep Him from leaving.  Who wouldn’t want to hang on to a miracle worker?  Healer?  Gifted teacher?   But the will of the people did not line up with Your divine purposes.

It was not Your plan, and You did not allow it.

Jesus was not a fisherman.  But He got into a fisherman’s boat.  He instructed the men to put out into deep water and let down the nets at a time and place that made no sense by fishermen’s wisdom.   The men did, acting in obedience to Your sovereignty.

When they obeyed and went along with Your plan, they were blessed to overflowing!  They had to call a backup boat, and even then, the boats filled to almost sinking with fish!

It was Your plan, and although it made no sense by human wisdom, it brought overabundant blessing!

Dear Father, I want that overabundant blessing in my life!  I desire to align myself with Your will and Your purpose.  I lay down my wish to “do it my way” or according to my own wisdom, in favor of Your revelation and Your blessing.

In these troubling times so many of my plans are falling apart.  People are scared.  Jobs are disappearing.  Celebrations are being called off and we are feeling alone and insecure.  We cannot see the future to make plans according to our “wisdom” any longer.

Help us lean into You!  Hear Your instruction clearly.  Embolden us to act with godly wisdom.  Keep us on the path of Your plan.   And let us receive Your blessing with gratitude and thanksgiving!  Amen

Numbers 32:1-42; Luke 4:31-5:11

Dec 14 I am so Jonah!

Father, what wonderful lessons I’ve learned from Jonah!  And about Jonah and about You.  He is so human…  And You are so God…

You spoke to Jonah, giving him a view of Your plan for him and specific directions using the gifts and talents You placed in him.   And You speak to Your people today.  You have given each of us gifts and talents to use in accordance with Your plan.

Help me hear Your voice clearly when You speak.  Give me direction and a view of Your purpose for my gifts.

Jonah thought he could get away with being disobedient.  He thought he could hide from You.  Silly man.  And silly me!  There have been times when I did not follow Your direction.  I never ended up in the belly of a great fish, but I did miss out on some wonderful opportunities.

Remind me of that when I consider disobedience in the future.

You have everything under Your control!  Not only did You see where Jonah went, meaning there in no place to hide from You; but You were in control of everything around him.  The weather?  You brought the storm!  And calmed it.  A large fish?  You brought it to swallow Jonah, and it obeyed Your command to vomit him onto dry land.  The same thing is true of the events and circumstances, relationships and opportunities in my life.

Remind me that You see me wherever I am.  And that there is nowhere I can go away from You.  And nothing beyond Your power.

Jonah called out to You, “In [his] distress…”  Even when he thought his life was over, and knowing he had been disobedient, he prayed to You.  There is no circumstance where I cannot call on You.

It is never too late, I can never be too bad, I am never too far-gone.

You answered!  Even in the bowels of death and disobedience, You heard and answered Jonah’s prayer and rescued him.

You are a God of second chances!  And third and fourth…  You want Your people to be obedient.  You coach them to win, giving them every opportunity to do so.  And I am one of Your people.

Thank You for giving me second chances and more.  Thank You for always hearing my prayer and answering me.

Jonah obeyed eventually.  What I take from this is:  obey the first time – it will save me a lot of grief!

Thank You for this view into Jonah’s life.  It is a view into my own.  And into Your greatness.  Because You are so God…  And I am so human…  Amen

Jonah 1:1-3:3

Mar 31 God make a little, a lot

A crowd came because they were hungry to hear from and be healed by You, Jesus.  In staying late, they also grew hungry physically.  Your chosen disciples had only five loaves of bread and two fish; not even enough to feed the twelve of them, much less a crowd of five thousand.

But You took what was there, looked up to heaven, gave thanks and broke it.  And that meager amount was miraculously multiplied to provide enough for more than five thousand people to eat and be satisfied, with more left over than there was at the start!

Oh Lord, You have placed gifts in me that are to be shared.  Like the bread and the fish, it may not look like much to begin with.  But You do not make mistakes.  Your plan and Your purposes are true.  What matters is not what things look like here on earth through man’s eyes.  What matters is that the gifts are available to be used by You.

So Father, I offer what I have.  I look to You with thanksgiving in my heart, asking that You bless me and break me to spread the gifts You have placed in me to others.  Use what You have given me, Lord, to make a blessing for others that will bring honor and glory to Your name.  Amen

Because of who You are: the One True God, the Lord Jesus Christ, You can do more than I can say or do, more than I can ask or even imagine! With You, nothing is impossible!

Luke 9:10-17

Mar 21 Overabundant blessing!

O Lord, how often do I make my own plan, instead of seeking Yours, or going along with the one You started me out on?  How many blessings have I missed, because I went my own way?

The Reubenites and Gadites saw with their eyes, that the land they were on was good enough for them; and asked for it rather than waiting for the land You had promised to all the tribes.  In their view, what they were seeing was good enough, and it was given to them.

I wonder if they prayed about that decision?  Or how they sought wisdom on the matter?  Or if they were just tired of being on the move and wanted to stop and settle?

Down the road it caused misunderstanding and cost lives.  It was not Your plan, but You allowed it.

When Jesus taught and healed in the town of Capernaum in Galilee, the people searched Him out and tried to keep Him from leaving.  Who wouldn’t want to hang on to a miracle worker?  Healer?  Gifted teacher?   But the will of the people did not line up with Your divine purposes.

It was not Your plan, and You did not allow it.

Jesus was not a fisherman.  But He got into a fisherman’s boat.  He instructed the men to put out into deep water and let down the nets at a time and place that made no sense by fishermen’s wisdom.   The men did, acting in obedience to Your sovereignty.

When they obeyed and went along with Your plan, they were blessed to overflowing!  They had to call a backup boat, and even then, the boats filled to almost sinking with fish!

It was Your plan, and although it made no sense by human wisdom, it brought overabundant blessing!

Dear Father, I want that overabundant blessing in my life!  I desire to align myself with Your will and Your purpose.  I lay down my wish to have it “my way” according to my own wisdom, in favor of Your revelation and Your blessing.

Help me hear Your instruction clearly.  Embolden me to act with godly wisdom.  Keep me on the path of Your plan.   And let me receive Your blessing with gratitude and thanksgiving!  Amen

Numbers 32:1-42; Luke 4:31-5:11

Mar 31 God makes a little a lot

A crowd came because they were hungry to hear from and be healed by You, Jesus. In staying late, they also grew hungry physically. Your chosen disciples had only five loaves of bread and two fish; not even enough to feed the twelve of them, much less a crowd of five thousand.

But You took what was there, looked up to heaven, gave thanks and broke it. And that meager amount was miraculously multiplied to provide enough for more than five thousand people to eat and be satisfied, with more left over than there was at the start!

Oh Lord, You have placed in me gifts that are to be shared. Like the bread and the fish, it may not look like much to begin with. But You do not make mistakes. Your plan and Your purposes are true. What matters is not what things look like here on earth through man’s eyes. What matters is that the gifts are available to be used by You.

Because of who You are: the One True God, the Lord Jesus Christ, You can do more than I can say or do, more than I can ask or even imagine! Nothing is impossible!

So Father, I offer what I have. I look to You with thanksgiving in my heart, asking that You bless me and break me to spread the gifts You have placed in me to others. Use what You have given me, Lord, to make a blessing for others that will bring honor and glory to Your name. Amen

Luke 9:7-22