‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV — This is what the Lord says— “he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick.”

As water walkers, we have the confidence to serve a God who we know is a faithful waymaker. As we continue through the book of Isaiah, our Redeemer makes a way for Israel. He is still making a way for us today. He will continue to make a way for children and grandchildren.

I encourage you to worship while listening to the song Way Maker by Leeland. In his lyrics, he sings that God is a way maker, a miracle worker, a promise keeper, and our light in the darkness. Even though we don’t always know or understand the way God is making for us, we can have confidence in His promises. When we see His wonders, they nudge us to step out of our boats.

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for Your faithfulness. Give me the confidence I need to step out of my boat and serve You today. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — “‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.’”

Unfortunately, January has not gone as I had envisioned. I have experienced debilitating back pain that humbly reminded me, healing takes time. My diagnosis is a pulled muscle in my lower back caused by severe coughing. As many of you know, I am dedicated to the “Run for God” program. Running has not only helped me grow stronger physically, but also spiritually. This back pain has kept me from running, which is a special time in which I meditate and pray. Because I’m missing that time it would be easy for me to get stuck in January blues. I’ve been forced to pause, rest, and follow the doctor’s orders. As I humbly seek God during my downtime, I have confidence He is in control because He is Lord over all. As I start to heal, I am reminded to worship God through the process.

Isaiah reminds us that we are God’s chosen sons and daughters, created to have a relationship with him and profess that He is Lord over all.

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for the time to pause and rest in Your presence as I heal. I desire to be a witness that You are Lord over all. Help me to turn this burden into a blessing for others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bonus: As Deborah shared last week, we don’t always know what people are going through. If you have an extra 12 minutes in your day, take the time to pray for your friends and family through The Blessing with Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, and Elevation. Worship.

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

We serve a God who is a waymaker. He redeems us when we don’t feel worthy. As our heavenly Father, He calls us by name. He wades in the water with us. He holds us up as the waters start to rise. He is our shield of armor to protect us from all the earthly flames we walk through. 

On this Mighty Monday, let’s be reminded who we are in Christ Jesus. Allow the wonders of God to give us strength. We shouldn’t fear the day because God is in control. When we don’t see the way, we can ask God to lead the way. 

Dear God, thank You for calling me by name. Thank You for walking with me and leading me in the way I should go. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Psalms‬ ‭81‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket.

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2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV — But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

I have always loved today’s featured Bible verse as it refers to jars of clay. I have only worked with clay in very amateur projects but when I think of my experiences I know that the clay has to be soft and pliable in order to manipulate and mold it. When I think of our relationship with Christ, I think we should be like clay. We must be soft and pliable in order to be moldable. We must allow ourselves to be vulnerable to God. We must be willing to follow His will.

This week we have looked at various ways that being vulnerable can be positive instead of the usual negative connotations associated with the word. As we finish this Friday, I encourage you to intentionally be vulnerable. Allow yourself to be soft and pliable so God can mold and shape you into His vessel. 

Let’s pray. Dear God, help me to be vulnerable in my relationship with You. Show me ways to be soft and pliable so You can mold and shape me into the vessel You would have me be. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

In John 13:34-35 NIV Jesus directs us — A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

My high school composition teacher told our class, “The amount you love is dependent on how willing you are to be hurt.” I must say, when she first told us this, I brushed it into the corner of my mind not believing a word of it. However, as I lived and learned, I found she was exactly right. Truly loving someone requires vulnerability. As we have learned, being vulnerable means exposed and susceptible. This sounds terrible! However, letting down our protective fences, trusting others with our emotions, and sharing life’s ups and downs, can all be beautiful blessings. Loving one another is not easy, but loving others can be our greatest testimony of our relationship with Christ. Love is how others will know we are His disciple. 

Spend some time examining your relationships with others. Do others see the love of Christ in your interactions? Is it evident you are His disciple in your reactions and responses? Be aware today as you are around others. Be intentional about showing God’s love so others will know you are His disciple.

Let’s pray. Dear God, open my eyes to my actions and reactions. May all that I say and do today be done with love so others will know I am Your disciple. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen