As the rain and snow

“And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night…

“And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and officials and the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes… God will fight for us.’ So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.”

“I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials… I said, ‘The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?..’ 

“From the time that I was appointed to be their governor.., neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor… I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also persevered in the work on this wall.” Nehemiah 4:8-9,14,20b-21a; 5:6-7a,9,14b-16

Nehemiah knew and feared his Lord, staking both drive and dependence on God’s sovereign plan and care. His impetus to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem persisted through opposition because of his passion for God and His honor. His assessments, planning, strategy, perseverance, and treatment of others were all rooted in reverence for and confidence in the Almighty he sought to obey. He proved that the fear of God has great impact on the direction, decisions, and doing in His children’s lives. (Nehemiah 1:3-6; 2:17-20)

The fear of God causes us to pause rather than panic, and seek Him for the way forward. It is the defense against worry at bad news, and the ground of dependence each step forward. It guards our hearts, steels our resolve, and guides our minds. (Psalm 112:6-7; Proverbs 9:10; Philippians 4:6-7)

The fear of God keeps us focused in any work. It ensures that efforts are spent for the good of others and glory of God rather than for personal accomplishment or accolades. It reminds us of our ends and whose honor is at stake.

The fear of God loosens our hold on things of this earth. It keeps warm the heart and reasonable our decisions about what’s at our disposal. It moves us to compassion and generosity, exchanging personal rights for honorable, equitable, and benevolent treatment of others.

The fear of God keeps us going through hard times and pesky deterrents. It reinforces determination and clarifies opportunities to trust. It is a healthy, trustworthy foundation, and a banner of witness that points others to notice Him.

In what situations at work or service are we peppered with confusion? What plots of suspicion, angst, or resentment work against our relationships? How do we respond to temptations to special treatment, or the unjust treatment of others? Where do we secure our hope, wisdom, fortitude, and direction? The world offers many voices and choices, but rooting ourselves in the fear of God keeps us steady.

Father, forge my will and ways in genuine, joyful fear of You, for Your glory.

“God remembered Noah and all the beasts and livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated, and… the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The waters continued to abate until… the tops of the mountains were seen.

“At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark.  And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf.” Genesis 8:1-11

“[Jesus] awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm… And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’” Mark 4:39,41

The eternal God who in the beginning hovered over the chaos of deep and darkness is the God who rules the wind. As wind blows to stoke fire and upturn water, to whorl sand and dirt and to clean the air and dry floods, the might and majesty of the Almighty’s power is displayed. At His word, at His invisible hand, all nature obeys. (Genesis 1:1-2)

Through life we experience a myriad of gusts, storms, and tempests that jar our world and test the soul. Unsettled, blown off balance, moved against our will, whipped with sting, we might wonder at the what and why. When we realize that God orders and measures the winds we experience, we can lean against His omniscient power, take shelter in His love and grace, and trust His sovereign and purposeful ends. He works all things for our providential good, and His plans will not be thwarted. (Job 42:2; Romans 8:28)

Where do we feel buffeted by strong winds of difficulty, sorrow, or change? Are we reeling without anchor, or buttressed within the gale by the Lord’s love and care? Is there an area of life we’d welcome a fresh blow of encouragement, inspiration, or hope? Are we courageous enough to walk into the wind and find Him there? The God of weather is our God today.

“When peace like a river attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
‘It is well, it is well with my soul.'” ~Horatio Stafford (1873)

Lord, have Your way with the winds and with me, to Your ends and glory.

“About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword,  and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also… And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

“When Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, ‘Dress yourself and put on your sandals… Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ And he went out and followed him… When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him… 

“When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate… But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed.” Acts 12:1-9a,10,12-14,16

Ministry for Christ and opposition toward His teachings and people were intensifying. As more and more came to believe and be transformed and healed, the more religious and political leaders felt threatened and grew in antagonism and violence toward the early church. The shock and pain over James’ death and Peter’s imprisonment drove the church to earnest prayer for Peter. What they prayed, we don’t know, but we do know that God responded and they were amazed.

When we pray with earnest thought and trusting surrender, God directs our intercession and often answers in unusual or unexpected ways. His Spirit might lead us to beseech Him for deliverance, or for patience, endurance, and effective witness in the difficult captivity. We might ask for healing, or for new intimacy with the Lord in the illness. We might plead for a desired fulfillment, when the Lord wants to fill the void with Himself. (Acts 12:21-24)

How intentional are we in prayer? When, where, and how do we commune with God? Do we wisk wishes toward the skies, or bow and focus, asking according to His character, promises, and will? When prayer is all about us, we won’t expect great things from God. But when we’re immersed in the Lord, we’ll stand on tiptoe to watch Him answer.

Lord, keep me earnest in prayer and ever amazed not that You answer, but how, so I may magnify Your glory.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… the holy city… coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’

“And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new… It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment… I will be his God and he will be my son…

“The city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it,.. —and there will be no night there… Nothing unclean will ever enter it,.. but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:1-7,22-27

“In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ it shall be said, ‘Children of the living God.'”

“I will have mercy on No Mercy,
    and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people.’” Hosea 1:10b; 2:23

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3

In Revelation, the promises of scripture meet the culmination of time in exquisite tension and certain hope. What will be is sure, completed in heaven not yet on earth, and the present is identified by the participles of purifying and waiting, knowing what is to come. Thus, the life marked in Christ is one replete with continual sanctification and vibrant faith and joy.

For Christians, Immanuel is with us presently and will one day be with us more fully than we can now imagine. When planning for a day, a year, a purposeful life, how does this affect and direct our mindset? What does the Spirit’s power, love, and victory mean for us now? Knowing that one day there will be no tears, regrets, frustration, nor longings unmet, what difference does unshakable hope make in present grief, discouragement, and suffering? How can it lift our heads above hard circumstances? (Psalm 3:3)

How deliberately do we hold onto future promises? Do they squelch efforts at growth by instilling complacency, or compel us to holiness? In what practical ways are we demonstrating what is to come- by obedience, Christ-likeness, hope in the face of difficulties?

What ongoing sanctification is taking place, working its way into attitude, speech, relationships, choices made for the immediate and future? Where is God calling me to new repentance, deeper trust, or fuller surrender?

Lord, certain of Your promises, help me live zealously, hopefully, and like Jesus, so You are magnified.

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the Lord his God be with him.”’”

“‘Let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.’

“Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses.., and the priests and Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, gold, goods, beasts, and costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods.” 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-7

What God had spoken, He orchestrated. True to His word, He moved the heart of a heathen king to move His exiled people back to their land to rebuild His house. Male, female, singers, servants, priests, post keepers. The king was called to release the exiles, and each Israelite was called to contribute. His stirring was deliberate, timely, and effectual. (Ezra 2:64-70)

God stirs with a mighty hand. As His people, we need be sure we’re listening and ready to move at His prompting. He may use us to rule, to go, to give toward a cause. He might move us to start a new work, or build in a specific way. Always He will accomplish His purposes, and we are blessed to be part if we heed His stirring.

Where and how has God called me to serve? What dampens my willingness and generosity? When I’m moved by His Spirit, how readily and joyfully do I respond?

“Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise.

Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee.

Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee.

Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.” ~Frances Ridley Havergal (1874)

Father, stir me ever, only, all for Thee.

“Stephen said: ‘Hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham… and said, “Go out from your land and kindred into the land I will show you.” ⁴ Then he went out… and lived in Haran. After his father died, God removed him into this land in which you are now living. Yet he gave him no inheritance in it,.. but promised it as a possession to his offspring.., though he had no child. His offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave and afflict them four hundred years… “and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place…” 

“’The patriarchs… sold [Joseph] into Egypt; but God… gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh… who made him ruler over Egypt… 

“The people increased and multiplied until… another king… dealt shrewdly with our race… At this time Moses was born…

“‘[God said to Moses], “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. I will send you to Egypt.”

“'[Moses] led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea…

“’Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, [and] brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations.'” Acts 7:2-7,9-10,17-20a,34,36,44-45

Tracing God’s promises from the beginning, Stephen told His story as one large unfolding. Weaving what had been carefully passed down through the ages into what was then occurring, this faithful servant boldly testified to the Lord’s hand and redemptive plan from patriarchs to present. For all his spirit-filled faithfulness, Stephen was stoned, but not without a powerful, lasting witness that offered eternal comfort. (Acts 6:7-10; Acts 7:51-53,58-60)

It takes intention to know God’s promises and attention to trace His activity. As incessant disrupter, the enemy of our souls works to blind us to grace and high purpose, and instead instills us with angst and anger. Depending on what we absorb and how we process present occurrences, we’ll either find holy delight or feel horrible doom. Taking significant time on our knees- eyes closed, devices away-helps us see present circumstances, personally and world-wide, with large vision and heavenly wisdom. How might the Lord, through prayer and His word, eradicate worry and awaken faith and hope in present circumstances?

How tuned in am I to the wondrous weaving of God’s promises in my day? What opportunities do I take in catastrophes, cultural movements, and interruptions, to point to Christ? Am I so entangled in present press, stress, and buzz that I cannot recognize providential connections and wonder at God’s bigger picture and outcomes? Tracing God’s hand enhances understanding of His eternal purposes, energizes praise, emboldens witness, and brings our souls home to Him. (Acts 10:38-43)

When did we last thank God for how He’s met us, redeemed struggles, or answered prayer? Where is He stitching truths of Himself into difficult times? How will we encourage others similarly suffering to hope?

“Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth;
shelters thee under his wings, yea so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’re have been
granted in what he ordaineth?” ~Joachim Neander (1680)

Lord, keep me attuned to watch Your hand, weave your promises through all that transpires, and faithfully witness to Your grace and glory.

“I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped three days… Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, ‘The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.’  So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

“Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kinsmen with them. And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God that the king and his counselors and his lords and all Israel there present had offered…  And I said to them, ‘You are holy to the Lord, and the vessels are holy, and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers…’ 

“Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way.” Ezra 8:15,21-25,28,31

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen… And without faith it is impossible to please him.” Hebrews 11:1,6

The Lord God had already proven His providence and protection to Ezra by Cyrus’s allowance and provision for their return to Jerusalem. Ezra lived and breathed working faithfully for the One who’d faithfully led him. So when the time came to transport great and valuable offerings with the returning exiles, Ezra modeled for them all complete dependence on their invisible God over security of a worldly king. To live by faith was to act with confidence under His care. (Ezra 1:1-4; 6:6-12; 9:9)

Sometimes we depend on elected representatives as though they alone can solve societal ills and are able to support and protect us. Sometimes we amass material resources to prepare for whatever comes and secure our self-sufficiency. What difference in spiritual attitude would it take to approach the Lord first, in every challenge, and seek how to trust and honor Him best as we make decisions? How can we live more robustly by faith?

Where have we counted on government officials or policies as our framework and guardian? On what props of finances, shelter, insurance policies, or preparedness plans do we depend? In what situations do we rely solely on our own smarts and grit to make things happen? Are we prone to implement our varied efforts stubbornly and independently, apart from the Lord and His sovereign care? We magnify His grace and goodness by trusting Him over the ways of man. When we tell of His supernatural undergirding and provision, others are invigorated to test it also and find Him faithful.

Lord God, teach me to trust You and Your all-sufficiency so others see You magnified and receiving the honor and glory You deserve.

“It shall come to pass in the latter days
    that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
    and it shall be lifted up above the hills;
and peoples shall flow to it,
   and many nations shall come, and say:
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
    and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
    and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between many peoples,
    and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away…
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
    neither shall they learn war anymore;
but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,
    and no one shall make them afraid…
All the peoples walk
    each in the name of its god,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
    forever and ever.

“In that day,.. the Lord will reign…
    from this time forth and forevermore.

“And you, O tower of the flock,
    hill of the daughter of Zion,
to you shall it come,
    the former dominion shall come,
    kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem...
There you shall be rescued;
    there the Lord will redeem you
    from the hand of your enemies.”

“I will cut off the cities of your land
    and throw down all your strongholds;
and I will cut off sorceries from your hand,
    and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes;
I will cut off your carved images
    and your pillars from among you,
you shall bow down no more
    to the work of your hands…
And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance
    on the nations that did not obey.” Micah 4:1-8,10b; 5:11-15

The anticipation for God’s people of their Messiah held a melody through the generations. Always a looking, always a longing, for the promised One who would banish evil and unite His people. Justice would be served, Jehovah exalted.

There is something about the vision of rising heights before us, the thrill of a steep climb, the anticipated broader perspective from the vista ahead that lifts our souls. To ascend to an unknown sparks the spirit, and to have a palpable sense of what is to come fills hope with substance. God’s promises are to be believed and rejoiced in as certain. They give strength to our striving and delight in our waiting because that are backed by our Lord’s trustworthiness and love.

In these doldrum days we can forget the latter days. We can focus on the here before us and lost sight of the magnificent there and then. But the scriptures are replete with descriptions of the resolutions and glories to come, opening to us a wide vista that can make a difference now. In uncertainty, we hope for God’s established kingdom, under injustice we rejoice in judgment to come. In war and drought we look to peace and plenty, in temptation, to the abolishment of idols. Will we go to and gaze from God’s mountain of promise? How will our love and worship for Him increase as we expect full redemption?

Father, fix my hope in Thee, and help me daily anticipate Your highest glory.

“The elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia; and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

“And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. They offered at the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel… 

“On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover. The priests and the Levites had purified themselves together… And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God.” Ezra 6:14-17,19-20,22

The rebuilding of God’s temple was a monumental task. Exiles had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon laden with goods, and persevered through great emotion and in spite of political adversaries. As they worked toward completion they gave the Lord God thanks, for He had provided and protected and granted them unexpected favor. When the temple was finished and dedicated, praise and sacrifice and celebration abounded with joy for all God had done. (Ezra 1:2-11; 3:3-6,10-13; 4:1-6,23-24; 6:6-12)

It takes a dependent, expectant, grateful heart to see God’s hand in our successes. In the grump and grind of competition, tension, and opposition, we can be wired to keep gritty, keep pushing, keep on, relying on personal drive, inner strength, and a honed knack for persuasion. Because of our narrow horizontal focus, we fail to see God’s providential hand and graces afforded, His moving of the heathen’s mind and ordering of circumstances to bring about only-God results. We don’t look to Him for help and miss out, by subconscious choice, on beholding His majestic involvement in our affairs.

What could be different in my sense of gratitude if I paused in my push to take on a heavenly perspective? How might my pride in accomplishments be dissolved in gratitude, my heart turned to humble awe at God’s intervention, provision, and care? If I learn the mindset that everything comes from Him, was made for Him, and all work should be done unto Him, how would the tenor of my attitude toward success and completion change? How would my praise to God increase? (1 Corinthians 4:7; Colossians 1:16; 3:23-24)

Determining that every work is for God and His glory enhances anticipation and fuels other-worldly motivation. We can expect supernatural insight and stamina, and practical supply. We can welcome opposition, knowing the Lord will be magnified as He shows His strong arm and leads us through. And our sense of thankfulness and richness of worship will be heightened as we experience God’s joy and blessing every step.

Lord, train me to approach and complete my work with You at the fore, so You receive all credit and praise.

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus…

‘We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.’ And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened… 

“When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,.. look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold  and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.” Acts 4:13,20,-21,23-24,29-35

Holy Spirit boldness had taken Jesus’s disciples by storm, and spread with contagion to all who believed. Brave preaching and standing up to authorities begat boisterous praise and confident prayer. The power and glory of Jesus infected word and deed with magnanimous results. Mouths opened with the gospel, hearts with compassion and love. Fists unclenched to give generously, selfish restraint dissolved into open, grace-filled fellowship. None could deny the bold living instigated at Pentecost.

Consistent time with Jesus and being filled with His Spirit do much to form the inner man and outward expression of faith. The deeper we go with Him, the more surrendered we are to His Spirit, the bolder we will be in passion and practice. The Spirit of God makes remarkable the unremarkable, strong the weak, and courageous the timid. Works done under His sway have great sway with those who observe and marvel, and the gospel can spread.

In what areas am I shy or reluctant to act for my Lord? Where and with whom do I feel threatened and unsettled? Will I choose instead to consider what God can do, and ask Him to minister particular power so I can boldly speak to those who don’t understand, stand firm against questioning or opposition, and trust Him enough to risk giving of myself in lavish ways?

For whom might my boldness be an example that would compel faith and faithful living? How can the Spirit’s fire in me ignite praise and grace in another? What significant changes can bold faith make today?

Lord, fill me with praise and passion to live boldly for Your gospel and glory.