As the rain and snow

“When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold.  Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.  And David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?’ And the Lord said to David, ‘Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.’ And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, ‘The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.’ Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

“And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, ‘You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees.  And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.’  And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.” 2 Samuel 5:17-25

The Philistines were relentless in their pursuit of King David, but so was God in His loving care of His anointed. David never feared. He knew where was his stronghold and who would hold him strong. He conferred with his Lord at every threat, and God was faithful to direct his strategy and steps. Whether he went up or around, he followed God’s instructions, and conquered at the sound of His marching in the tops of the balsams.

Do we so seek the Lord? It is easy in our day to day to get to our plans without taking a thought for how our Lord might lead differently. When we get to tasks and just hope for His blessing, we miss the sweetness of clear confirmation through His word, or the nudge of change in the heart or conviction of His Spirit, or the cautionary Wait, it will work better this way, at this time. And in the hurry of our own determined urgencies, we do not even know that we have missed Him. The noise keeps us from hearing Him in the balsam trees.

In what situations do I need particular guidance today? Am I facing conundrums at work, friction in a relationship, or closed doors when I need one opened? Is there a big decision to make, topic to raise and work through, or habit to conquer? No matter how pressing or strong, would I turn from whatever is coming at me to inquire, listen, and pay heed to the Lord’s voice? Will I trust Him, and thank His for His answers?

Good Father, keep me inquiring of You and alert to Your guidance, ready to follow as You lead and to thank You for Your answers.

“Again, I saw vanity under the sun: one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, ‘For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?’ This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!  Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:7-12

“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.'” Genesis 2:18

“For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. ” Romans 14:7

“Alone is alone, not alive.” (Stephen Sondheim, Broadway composer 1930-2021)

Alone, we are sinners. Alone, we rebel. Alone, we get selfish. Alone, we can so easily be master and doubt God’s goodness. Alone, we are lost, dead in our transgressions. Only because Jesus entered into our aloneness can we live, move, and have our being. Only He makes us alive. (Acts 17:28; Ephesians 2:1-5)

Alone, we cannot sharpen iron with iron. Alone, we are not held accountable. Alone, we cannot be borne up and share burdens. We need each other to refine and be refined, to encourage and admonish, to counsel and be counseled, to confess our weaknesses and practice forgiving, to spur and be spurred on to love and good deeds. (Proverbs 27:17; Galatians 6:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14; Hebrews 10:24-25)

And in times when there are no people around, in Christ we are never alone. We have as our best companion and prayer partner, comforter and counselor and paraclete, the indwelling Holy Spirit with us always. We can talk with Him and be sure of His near presence. He knows our thoughts before we think them, understands us fully, is a trustworthy confidante, and loves us infinitely. (Psalm 139:1-4; John 14:16-17; 16:13-14; Romans 8:26-27; Hebrews 13:5b)

Am I trying to live alone, afraid of being known, ashamed of past wrongs, keeping distant from people who would love and help me? Am I afraid to admit others in to my well-ordered life, fearful of being disrupted, demanded of, drained? What might I be missing in enrichment, refinement, and friendship by choosing a solitary life?

To whom can I reach out to extend the kindness of welcome? Who is isolated that will not initiate, and needs my loving intrusion? What can I do to develop friendships so they are more meaningful and bear significant, spiritual fruit and joy to the Lord? How can I bless another today with interest, concern, companionship, help?

Lord, out of gratitude for Your calling me to be Your forever friend, help me me a good and loyal friend who brings life, meaning, and joy to others, and glory to You. (John 15:8-15)

“Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, ‘Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?  And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God!  And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God!  Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it.  Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.  And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods?  And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God.  And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken.  And your name will be magnified forever, saying, “The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,” and the house of your servant David will be established before you. For you, O Lord of hosts, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, “I will build you a house.” Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.  And now, O Lord, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.  Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.'” 2 Samuel 7:18-29

David’s prayer of awe-filled gratitude poured out in response to God’s bountiful promise to him. He was reminded of His shaping and calling, His grace and protection, His throne and victories. Now he knew his own name and throne would remain forever. His spontaneous reaction was an undone heart, vibrant faith, and praise. God’s grace and faithfulness were absolutely trustworthy.

We come to the Lord with so many instructions and suggestions. We approach Him arrogantly knowing best and wanting much. But when we sit before Him and recount His words and promises, and the name and voice behind them, we learn to shush our will and seize His. We learn to respond in prayer, claiming His pledge instead of our self-made pronouncements. We learn prayer that pleases Him is prayer that asks He be pleased to perform His bidding and accomplish in time what He’s already done in heaven. (Matthew 6:7-10)

Would we take the plunge to sit and learn? Surrendering self relinquishes flesh impulses and worldly thinking. It frees us to seize His promises that He delights to fulfill. With what prayers of faith will we seek God’s pleasure today? (Romans 12:1-2)

Lord, teach me to seek, embrace, and do all that pleases You so that You might be pleased in and glorified through me.

“After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.  And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them,  and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.  And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks….  Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.  He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.  He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” Acts 18:1-4,24-26

“The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 16:19

Leaving their home could not have been easy, but when the Lord providentially moved Priscilla and Aquila from Rome to Corinth, they fell right into His eternal plans. Whether they were expelled for political or religious reasons is not clear, but they trusted God as sovereign and remained committed to their work and ministry wherever He planted them. Working, learning, and serving alongside Paul, they grew in boldness to teach and disciple younger Christians in their understanding of God. Where He moved them, they would spread Him with all His fragrance, and build a church with His love at center.

Often when the Lord interrupts our plans, or moves us unwittingly to new places, we chafe at the change. We fixate on what we cannot now do rather than on what He might be doing anew. We rue the loss rather than expect His gain. We get bogged down with what is hard rather than doing what we can to make things better. The trouble is where we focus, and when it’s on us, we get in the way of His broader and wondrous plans.

What has been our attitude with recent interruptions? Where have we rebuffed the Lord’s advances to woo us closer to Him because of what we will have to rearrange or surrender? Where are we letting fear, anger, impatience, or selfishness impede our moving with Him to a new level or place of work or ministry?

If God has placed us in a new world of circumstances, a new city, a new environment or routine we did not choose, are we accepting it with reluctance, or embracing it with enthusiasm and vigor? How are we infusing it with His love, grace, and light? Maybe others there feel trepidation or loneliness, and know not Christ. Are we selfless enough to take notice of and reach out to them? How are we planting blooms of sweetness, beauty, and fragrance to draw and enrich people around us?

Lord, keep me looking ahead with You, and make me a conduit of Your love, truth, and grace everywhere You place me. (Philippians 3:13-14)

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
    when he delights in his way;
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
    for the Lord upholds his hand.

I have been young, and now am old,
    yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
    or his children begging for bread.”

“He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.” Psalm 37:23-25a; 40:2

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

“Fear not, for I am with you;
    be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

God designed time to be gradual and continuous, and life to be lived step by step. His children do not turn immediately from young to old, immature to mature, weak to strong, ignorant to full of knowledge. They do not proceed through years in a straight line or on a smooth path. The Lord marks out our ways with potholes, inclines, setbacks, and detours because He knows who He wants us to be. He nourishes us and trains us along the way, walking hand in hand with His own as we keep in step with His Spirit. His promises of constant companionship and help spur us on in the rhythms of devotion and faith.

But it’s hard when we slip. It’s painful when we trip. It’s difficult when we have to climb and the slope is steep and the scrabble loose and we’re weary. But those are the moments we press hard into God’s side and cling to His hand. Those are times we feel His breath and hear His voice.

In what situations do we feel desperate? Where are we breathing hard with fury, confusion, or fatigue? Would we sidle up to our Savior, grasp His hand, and keep walking forward one trusting step at a time? He never fails to walk beside. (Psalm 23:1-4)

“Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,
He whose name is Counsellor and Pow’r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
‘As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,’
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then, in every tribulation,
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation,
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take, as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till with Christ the Lord I stand.” ~Lina Sandell ((1865)

So be it, Lord, Amen.

“David said, ‘Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’  Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, ‘Are you Ziba?’ And he said, ‘I am your servant.’ And the king said, ‘Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?’ Ziba said, ‘There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.’ The king said, ‘Where is he?’ And Ziba said, ‘He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.’  Then King David sent and brought him from… Lo-debar.  And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, ‘Mephibosheth!’ And he answered, ‘Behold, I am your servant.’  And David said to him, ‘Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.’  And he paid homage and said, ‘What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?’

“So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table.” 2 Samuel 9:1-8,13

After Saul’s death, David had been installed on the throne over all Israel, and decision after decision, battle after battle, God established him as a righteous, successful king. He was loved and respected at home and feared from abroad. He could have settled into a cushy, cocky reign, but his love for Saul’s son Jonathan, and for the Lord who had blessed their friendship, compelled him to seek out his remaining family. No fame would overwhelm this man after God’s heart, at least yet. (1 Samuel 18:1; 19:1-3; 20:16-17; 2 Samuel 5:1-5,10-12; 7:18-29; 8:6,14)

Whether or not we hold high office or an important position in the world’s eyes, we’re always held dear in God’s eyes. And in caring for us, He deems that we look out for the interests of others as more important than ourselves. Just as Jesus came in measureless love not to be served but to serve, He enables us to love unselfishly and value friendships significantly. We love because He first loved us, and the better we know Him the more it becomes our nature to love others well and look for opportunities to express it. (2 Samuel 10:1-2; John 13:34; Romans 12:9-13; Philippians 2:3-5; 1 John 3:18; 4:19)

How would our friends assess us? Do we faithfully pray and practically care for them, investing time and attention to check in, listen, and follow up? Do we make effort to be concerned for what concerns them? If not, would we ask the Lord to diminish preoccupation with self and expand our interest outward?

How readily do we look for needs to meet and ways to support and encourage friends God has given, and then act generously? Whom can I bless this day with a call, note, help, provision, or focused prayer?

Father, help me love and cherish friends the lavish way You love and cherish me, to Your honor and for Your sake.

“David said to the men who stood by him,.. ‘Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?’ 

“And David said to Saul, ‘Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.’ But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock,  I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.  Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.’  And David said, ‘The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you!’” 1 Samuel 17:26b,32-37

The tales about Goliath did not unsettle young David. The giant’s height, formidable armor, and huge javelin did nothing to deter or squelch the larger faith of this shepherd boy. He stood with the Lord’s army. His understanding of God had been honed in wonder at His majesty in creation and in experience facing and fighting fierce enemies. He would not flee in fear, but eagerly approach the foe with expectant trust in his Lord’s deliverance and salvation. (Psalm 8:1-6; 1 Samuel 17:38-50)

We face giants in health and people and predicaments that hold power and sway. They threaten our livelihood, ridicule backgrounds and weaknesses, taunt faith, and poke with doubt and insecurities. We can decide whether to believe their destructive mantras and let them undo us, or face up to them with the confidence of tested, robust faith.

The more we know God, of His strong presence and enabling and a renewed mind, the heartier will be our defense against any foe. We own truth to smother the enemy’s lies, and the Spirit to combat flesh. We have wisdom to discern the way to go, and the will to take His way out. (Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 2:16; 10:13; Ephesians 6:10-18)

Through what lenses do I see the giants I face? Pressures from work and the culture, from long-held lies and calloused hearts and physical debilitations, are large indeed. But do doubt and insufficiency distort my perception of their actual power compared to God’s? How grounded and tested is my faith that the Lord’s on my side? Will I draw confidence from Him to boldly face these practical and spiritual battles? What experiences has He orchestrated to train me in warfare, so I can readily implement what I’ve learned instead of fretting with fear? (Romans 8:31-34; 2 Corinthians 6:4-10; 1 Timothy 6:12)

Lord, cause me to remember that You are greater than and victor over any foe, and You are worthy of all trust and praise. (1 John 4:4)

“He was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

“Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.’

“Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” John 20:24-28

What was a grey maroon scrape is now an open wound, blood red on the horizon. Like so many days, widespread and pleasant beauty marked by suffering. The color is what catches attention, catches breath. And catches the heart up into the Savior.

Beautiful Savior He came, ministering welcome to the outcast, friendship to the hated, restoration to the broken. He spent and spilled out love as He walked miles, taught truth, fed thousands, calmed storms. Marvelous were His words and works, only to be punctuated by the ugliness of death. Nails driven through the very hands that broke bread and soothed fever and healed the blind and leprous. Nails through the feet that walked to Lazarus’s grave, among the crowds, onto the boat, across the water, toward the cross. Despised, stricken, His majesty and beauty marred, He died for us. (Isaiah 53:2-4)

When days and lives begin in fresh opportunity and get cut short or turn dark, when dreams and plans are scarred, we can know these are not meant to mar contentment and hope, but to remind of us of ultimate joy. Wounds have meaning, and redemptive power. Scars are symbols of resurrection and healing that Jesus won for us. Would we know, touch, and accept them, and believe like Thomas that our God is Lord over even these?

What do scars bring to mind this day? How grateful are we for Christ’s glory laid by, glory manifested in His love and life raised? What will we sacrifice in response?

“When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
save in the death of Christ, my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them through his blood.

See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were a present far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.” ~Isaac Watts (1709)

Lord, make me grateful for scars You bore and grant, that I might love and live for Your sake.

“This is the covenant that I will make with Israel after those days, declares the Lord: ‘I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.’

“Thus says the Lord,
who gives the sun for light by day
and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
the Lord of hosts is his name:
‘If this fixed order departs
from before me, declares the Lord,
then shall the offspring of Israel cease
from being a nation before me forever.’” Jeremiah 31:33-36

Dawn is barely teasing, but its fixed order will surely bring it round. An impatient rouged pink cloud pokes and streaks its way across the deep blue to announce that the sun is on its way. Even the moon smiles, a high small magnet pulling her upward before it disappears, camouflaged in her light. Watch, behold, contemplate the magnificent rhythm, perfection of gravity and orbits and balance, the excellent and beyond-beautiful handiwork of Creator God.

In creation, God fashioned the intricacies of the world for His crowning glory, man, whom He then made in His image. When all was prepared, He brought forth man to rule over it and be fruitful. His order was exquisitely planned and precisely executed in time and design. And He continues to rule heavens, earth, and the human heart. (Genesis 1:1-18)

We know people with high capacity and exemplary giftedness, and may ourselves be able to multitask well or accomplish much in a given span of time. But the infinite capacity of Almighty God is incomparable. It stretches the imagination beyond measure to comprehend a Creator who knows each star by name and upholds them by His power even as He knows every pang of every heart, hears each spoken and unspoken word of our prayers, and works good in every circumstance and sanctification simultaneously for His own. He is indeed beyond understanding and explanation. And in His vast greatness, He is knowable. (Psalm 147:4-5; Isaiah 40:26; Romans 8:28-30; Colossians 1:16-17)

That the Lord chose us to know Him, that by His perfect will and grace He planted in us His living Spirit, and that He keeps us in love and covenant promise, should undo us. When we gaze at His skies, our smallness magnifies His infinite glory. We can both bow and surrender, hush and sing. This omnipotent Sovereign is mine and I am His! (Psalm 8:1-9)

These things are true, yet often do not make their way into our insecurities, conditional comparisons, and fretting. We say we believe He loves and preserves us, yet rue being left out, overlooked, coming up short. When will we draw strength, purpose, and confidence from His pledge of light and order for our days? How will we honor His infinite capacity today?

Father, keep me in honest, right relationship with Your infinite greatness- humble, yielded, thankful.

“While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul… Ish-bosheth [Saul’s son] said to Abner, ‘Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?’ Then Abner was very angry… ‘God do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David what the Lord has sworn to him, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and Judah.’

“Abner sent to David, saying, ‘To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you… I will arise and go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires…’

“Then Joab went to the king and said, ‘What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you… You know that [he] came to deceive you and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.’

“Joab… sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back… But David did not know about it. When Abner returned, Joab took him aside… and struck him in the stomach, so that he died… When David heard of it, he said, ‘I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner’… So Joab and Abishai killed Abner, because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.” 2 Samuel 3:6-10a,12,21,24-28,30

Abner was driven by inner integrity, a reasonableness and loyalty based on God’s promise. He’d been faithful to Saul, and now vowed to support God’s next anointed regent. His transfer of commitment from one king’s family to the next was understood and welcomed by David, who shared his sense of fidelity before God. In contrast, Joab was driven by competition, anger, jealousy. As General, he appeared to zealously support David, but brooding with suspicion and violence, he acted to protect his own pride. His fiery motivations expressed themselves in impulsive vengeance contrary to David’s way of ruling. (2 Samuel 2:12-28; 3:31-39)

What we foster on the inside manifests itself on our outside. Internal process becomes external action. To behave uprightly we cannot hoard or stoke embers of sin within. Acknowledging flesh tendencies as well as God’s redeeming power gives both wisdom and hope. God demands purity in the innermost place to free us to encourage others and please Him. (Luke 6:45)

Where is hidden sin causing misery? Could depression, restlessness, or stress be exacerbated by long-held angst over circumstances, or coddled resentment? Will we bring these habits to the light of Christ’s forgiveness? (Psalm 32:1-5,10-11)

What outward expressions are fueled by inner selfishness, bitterness, or anger? Where are we given to impulse over self-control, and what will we do about it? What tone of voice needs changing, rants assuaging, impatience softening? In loved ones, would we pray for inner purity before outward conformity? God’s grace applied transforms the worst of us, enabling tendencies and expressions to reflect Christ in us, our hope of glory. (2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 1:27; 1 John 1:9)

Lord, keep clean my innermost so I reflect You with my outermost and exalt You to the uttermost. (Psalm 51:2-4,6-10)