2 Sam 22:20 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

“Rescue” is the key to the story of God’s people, not escape. We don’t get out of having to live in the reality of life. There is no way to try to convince ourselves otherwise. There is no secret wisdom that makes us immune to pain, suffering, or disappointment.

Yet, in the middle of it all, someone is absolutely thrilled we are here. The one who gives us our existence in the first place. There is nothing that gets in the way of his love, and this includes many rescues along the way. Even the greatest rescue of all. From ourselves.

Pray for firefighters today.

2 Sam 5:24 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.”

Have you ever suffered because you did the right thing? Have you ever been unfairly treated and yet didn’t strike back in revenge? Have you been misunderstood because you follow Christ rather than your own desires?

God is marching ahead of you. Can you hear him?

Pray for patience and strength for those suffering persecution today.

1 Sam 18:12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had left Saul.

Saul has known God’s hand all his life. Now God is gone. Do you think he realizes what has happened? The evidence of life without the Lord is all around him. He begins comparing himself to David and blames him for his situation. Fear and anger become his new companions. Despair has arrived.

It’s tough to follow the Lord, but it’s a lot tougher not to.

Pray for those who are resisting the love and influence of Jesus.

1 Sam 17:47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

God is in charge. He doesn’t need human means or power to accomplish what he wants done. Instead of a standing army, his greatest strength marches on in an embryo growing quietly in the womb of Mary. The closing battles continue, but the war is already won.

Pray for the peace of your household.

Judges 16:20 Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you! He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had left him.

Samson didn’t follow the Lord’s ways. He wanted to follow his own path. He chooses the wrong direction and is influenced by Delilah, who also doesn’t follow God. So, what do you expect will happen?

Keep ignoring the wisdom and guidance of God, and he will honor that decision. Eventually, we get what we want, even when we don’t want God.

Pray for an increase desire for God.

Judges 6:16 The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”

God doesn’t need numbers when he defeats evil. All are as one with Him. This makes it all the more remarkable that God treats us as individuals. Instead of destroying us as one because we are human and sinners, he opens for us new life through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Each of us is invited to taste the mercy of Jesus, and have our lives restored. If you want God in your life, you get him.

Pray for forgiveness in doubting God’s power.

Joshua 1:5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.

Still another reason to have confidence in the God of the Bible. He is there for us. What would it be like to be in relationship with God as Moses was? We have that access and more through Jesus. We don’t have to think about what it would be like, we open ourselves to God’s Spirit and it becomes a reality.

Ponder about being confident in God today.

Deuteronomy 33:26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty.”

“Jeshurun,” is a poetic name for “Israel,” that appears four times in the Bible. The God of Israel (Jeshurun) is everywhere, poetically described as soaring in the universe ready to right wrong. Whenever we look up in the sky we can’t help but think of being immersed in God’s protection.

Take some time looking up during the day and night.

Deuteronomy 31:6 So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

During modern times of war, those who are in charge generally aren’t on the front lines. This makes the United States Air Force intriguing in that per capita, it’s officers see much more combat.

Jesus leads God’s peace brigade and gives his life for the sake of his own people and for the sake of his enemies. What kind of leader is Jesus? The only one who will actually bring lasting peace. How does eternal peaces sound?

Pray for those in the armed forces that they will be protected and bring protection, justice and mercy.

Deuteronomy 28:6 Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed.

When God calls people to follow him, he expects them to obey his teachings. In Deuteronomy 28, there are 14 verses that speak of blessing that will come as God’s people obey, and 53 verses talk of the curse that will befall those who say they trust but do not obey.

Well, that’s about a 4 to 1 curse to blessing ratio. Which is just about the reality ratio of how much we get messed up when we follow our own ways. Following Jesus, God promises he takes the curses, while the blessings remain. Nice odds!

Pray for Jesus to reveal himself in a friend’s life today.