Praise be to you, Lord, that I awoke to your presence. Not a sense of your being there, but the knowledge that you are. As it says in 2 Peter 1:2 “May grace and peace be yours in abundance through full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!”

And thank you that out of that sure knowledge from your Word, you are giving me rest as I face multiple issues which the enemy wants to use to push me towards worry. As a bitter neighbor breathes threats, as my identity has been stolen and as a result my credit card account was hacked, as a project for a renter has stalled because I can’t get an overhead door to work—in each of these things you are there, at work, protecting and guiding.

In each event I can offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, seeing them as an opportunities to live out the purpose of my life—honoring you—and also a chance to join you in what you are doing in each of these difficulties.

I don’t know the outcome of any of these, but I know that you who breathed the stars, who hung the earth on nothing, who is the Beginner and Ender of time, has a plan: a good, positive and powerful plan. So I can rest in you, trust in you, rejoice in you before any answers come.

I can have joy in the midst of uncertainty because you, Lord Jesus, have made yourself known to me. This is enough. Guide me through this day; help me to continually trust you so that you can fill me with all joy and peace and so that my life can overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, bring hope to all around me for your glory.
[This ties in with the Psalm 1:3b entry below]

“and whose leaf does not wither.” [No matter what happens around this tree, it remains green–drought, dryness, winds, dust storms or disasters, failure of the seasons, failure of other streams–this tree has water to draw from, for its roots are deep down into the true source of vitality and strength. Whatever difficult events come to us—weakness, hardship, insults, persecution, difficulties or loss—we can prosper, remain lush and green, bear our fruit, be a delight to those around us if we keep our roots down in the Word through meditation. This is all because of you, Lord, for you gave us your Word and draw us into it.]