Genesis 32:10
10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups.

When Jacob prays to God, he makes sure that though he is serving God, God knows that Jacob knows that it is God who blesses his servants. Anything we do for the glory of God is more than rewarded by the awesome life the God-led get to live. In a real sense, service is never really a sacrifice.

Thank God for being so good to you today.

Genesis 29:20
20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

God’s promise is behind the scenes of the Jacob and Rachel love story. Jacob doesn’t realize God’s hand here. Sometimes we do things that please us and we discover later it is all part of God’s influence in the first place. Who knew?

In your decision-making, play close attention to what God might be saying.

Genesis 24:14
…let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac.

When you are serving God, your connections with him are strong. You can expect God to be involved in your life in ways that might not be completely clear at the moment. So, if you are single and you would like to be married someday, start making progress in serving. Who knows?

Pray for God to be present in all your relationships.

Genesis 18:3
3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.”

When we serve God, we need him to fuel our service. In fact, we can’t serve without him. Not in the ways he intends. God wants us to enjoy being a blessing for others and so he favors us as we reach out.

As you serve today, imagine Jesus alongside.

John 8:29
29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

When our will and God’s will intersect, we begin to see him at work the way Jesus sees him. When we are serving God, we never have complete solitude because there is always someone hanging around with us. Thank Him!!

Pray that God is your constant companion this new year.

Luke 9:18
18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

We can be alone even with others. It is a matter of focus, as well as location. Jesus has support as he supports. This still works.

Chose someone who serves the Lord powerfully from your own life and pray for them today.

Luke 6:12
12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

I have a chance to be in the mountains on occasion. It is always beautiful and it changes your perspective. While hiking up Half Dome in Yosemite, one of the things you notice about mountains is it makes you concentrate on just catching your breath. The mountains bring you back to the basics, including the very air you breath.

Thank God for the gift of life and for carrying you along the way.

Luke 5:16
16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Solitude is not a special occasion kind of thing. On a regular basis, being alone can become a pattern in your life. There you will have to best chance to have the environment Jesus had to make his best decisions.

Pray for solitude to become a habit.

Mark 9:2
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.

Amazing things sometimes happen in solitude. What about a combination nuclear reactor and Savior? That is kind of special. A baby in an obscure cave/ stable somewhere in the middle of the universe? Not so ordinary. How can we shine today? Maybe some time alone will guide us to figure it out.

Pray for God to reveal what he has in store for you.

Mark 1:35
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

If you are a morning person, this is by far the best time to spend alone with God. Now remember, Jesus is divine and so he appears to be a night person and a morning person! You just need to pick one as the best time for you to be alone with him.

Pray for the desire to spend more alone time with Jesus.