Showered With Grace

Lord, be gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning and our salvation in times of trouble. – (Isaiah 33:2, HCSB)

Lord, be kind to us. We have waited for Your help. Give us strength every morning. Save us when we are in trouble. – (Isaiah 33:2, ERV)

We’ve been waiting for You, Eternal One, to come and shower us with grace. In the morning, be our strength; in times of trouble, be what saves us. – (Isaiah 33:2, VOICE)

As we wait on the Lord, He meets us with His grace. Each new morning that we seek Him, He is faithful to arm us with strength. When troubles come, God is our help and our hope that saves us. This is a great reminder that we need not worry about tomorrow; instead, we ought to seek, trust and listen to the Lord, as He is faithful to ready and equip us for what each new day shall hold. Sundays are a perfect time to place this into practice. I love that a good chunk of my morning includes time with my church family, as we gather to worship, listen and grow. However, each Sunday evening brings the reminder that the following morning will be the start of a new week. At that point, I feel ill-equipped to take on all that lies ahead, yet God is faithful to meet me each new morning, and provides what is needed to navigate the day. It requires His strength, for on my own, I am not equipped to do all that is asked of me. With God, somehow what is needed is present as I keep walking forward. May we ever wait on the Lord to continue to shower us with His grace, and seek Him anew every morning, for it is in this space that He supplies strength and reminds us that He will be present to help, no matter what lies ahead.

O Lord, we seek You,

Your mercy and grace;

Faithful forever,

In all of Your ways.

You arm us with strength,

You are our supply;

Grace overwhelming,

Peace we can’t deny.

When troubles do come,

Ever You are near;

Giving what’s needed,

To overcome fear.

O God, we praise You,

For all that You are;

Our help, hope and grace,

Who never is far.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are gracious and kind, and ever near to help us anew every morning. Thank You that You strengthen us to persevere when trials come, and equip us and keep us safe in Your care. Forgive us for our anxiousness about what lies ahead, for You are faithful to be present each time we ask. Teach us to ever seek You in all that we do. Show us how to love those around us with Your grace and kindness. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to strengthen and equip us with Your goodness and grace so that we continue to become who You have created us to be. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:34

Gracious and Kind

Lord, be gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning and our salvation in times of trouble. – (Isaiah 33:2, HCSB)

Lord, be kind to us. We have waited for Your help. Give us strength every morning. Save us when we are in trouble. – (Isaiah 33:2, ERV)

God, treat us kindly. You’re our only hope. First thing in the morning, be there for us! When things go bad, help us out! – (Isaiah 33:2, MSG)

We’ve been waiting for You, Eternal One, to come and shower us with grace. In the morning, be our strength; in times of trouble, be what saves us. – (Isaiah 33:2, VOICE)

God is gracious and kind to us; He grants us new strength every morning and is faithful to be present in times of trouble. This has been the longest spring that I can recall. The gray, rainy gloom has persisted far beyond what is typical this time of year, and the challenges at work with student behaviors and sub shortages, have taken their toll on many. Without seeking the Lord for new strength each morning, I can’t imagine attempting to navigate this season. He is faithful to meet me each morning, and He shows me His goodness and love throughout the day. In moments of challenge, I try to focus on what is good. Right now, the good thing is that we have only seventeen more wake-ups this school year. Staff and students alike are ready for time this summer to rest and recharge. What seventeen days remaining means is that we have successfully navigated one-hundred and sixty three days so far. If He has been faithful for all of those, why would He stop now? May we ever seek the Lord and His grace, for He is faithful to provide what we need to navigate each new day.

The Lord, He is good,

He’s gracious and kind;

Our help, hope and strength,

Just as He designed.

Designed with purpose,

His grace is enough;

To meet all our needs,

When the road is rough.

He shows us His strength,

And surrounds with love;

Equips to press on,

Our Father above.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are gracious to us; ever faithful to be our strength anew every morning, and You help us navigate every challenge that comes our way. Forgive us for our fears and frustrations when we encounter trials and challenges. Help us to ever seek You and press into all that You provide so that we may do what You have for us to do, and become who You designed us to be. Show us how to love, encourage and support those around us like You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and trust You to be gracious and kind, and to provide all that we need to navigate each new day. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

You crown the year with Your goodness; Your ways overflow with plenty. – Psalm 65:11