Sometime, notice in your Bible the many little things that were of great significance: the little gift of the widow, the water pots in Jesus first miracle, a little lunch of 5 fish and 2 loaves, spit and mud, touching just the hem of Jesus cloak, the red cord of Rahab, the jars that Gideon's army smashed and on and on. There is no doubt in my mind that little things are important. Every little detail is important. And in doing little things, I think we become more Christ-like-- offering a smile, giving a hug, even just a look or a brief touch on the cheek of a child - all little things, but so important. For often, the little becomes the big - think about each of those little things from the Bible that I mentioned - a big lesson, a big ministry, a big crowd gets fed, the blind man could see, a woman healed, a family saved, a small army victorious. Huge outcomes from simple acts. Jesus was simple. He told simple stories. He spoke of a flower, a bird, a gardener, a single lost coin, a single lost sheep, a boy who ran away from home and He was concerned for the little children. Everything and everyone was important to Jesus. He used little things to make a big impact. I see that God uses those small things we do in big ways, too.
A few Sundays ago our church held a River Baptism in the mighty Boise River. Over 100 people made a decision to be baptized to show the world that they have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, love Him and are one of His devoted followers. In each case, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the road to that big decision began with a little thing - a smile, a hello, or an invitation - Come!
Think about it this way - the little things we do or say can make the difference in how a person spends his or her eternity. That's actually huge! We get to be part of God's big story for each and every person we meet. Little things, make a big impact on people. It's up to us to just do what we can and then God does the rest...more than we could ever ask or imagine.
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3: 20-21
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Saturday, July 8, 2017
Looking in the Right Place
I watched a robin this morning as she searched the tall wet grass for a morning meal. The sprinklers had been on and had very probably coaxed the little robin's breakfast near the surface. She hopped here and there then suddenly stopped, cocked her head and with a swift jabbing motion, dove her beak into the ground and with two hard fast tugs pulled out a fat worm that looked to be about 5 or 6 inches long. If birds could talk, I am fairly certain she would have shouted what I did as an observer...SCORE!!! (I really did shout SCORE I was so excited for her!) She finished her first course and hopped to another section of the lush green lawn and promptly found the second course to her meal. I watched her for quite some time repeat her search and find mission and then she happily flew off content and satisfied that she had relieved our yard of all the fattest and juiciest worms. But was she done? Had she met her fill? Nope! She flew to the neighbors yard and began her search all over again. I found this whole scenario quite fascinating.
As always, when I see something that amazes me, I try to find a way to see God in it. This morning it was easy. Oh, I could quote the likely scripture here found in Matthew 6:26 "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" The lesson being: God takes care of the birds, He'll take care of you. But, I'd like to go much deeper today. Let's think about our soul. The heart of each one of us.
My little friend the robin, kept searching, kept filling herself with bugs and worms. (Ewwww!!) She needs to keeping filling herself. It is a matter of survival and perhaps being able to feed her young. I have to ask, what do we keep filling ourselves with? What feeds the very heart of you -- your soul? What do you think you need to make you whole - to survive? We often search for people we think will fill us up. Maybe for you it is traveling, or a nice house, a boat, a motorcycle, a better job, more money - the list can go on forever. We could go on searching tirelessly and we don't find what we need. My little robin was not always successful in her foraging. Sometimes she'd drive her beak into the ground and come up empty-beaked. She hadn't looked in the right place. We are the same. We can look and buy and go and do but we won't find what we need until we look in the right place - UP!
God made us so we could and would have a relationship with Him. He made us in such a way that our souls long for Him. He is what we need for survival. He is the one who makes us whole. "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." Psalm 63:1 "My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." Psalm 84:2
I have Psalm 62: 1-2 labeled in my Bible as "My Song". "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken." God made each one of us so that He could be with us; so we could be filled up with Him. He even sent His Son, Jesus - Emmanuel - which means 'God with us" so we could be with Him eternally. When my soul is filled up with God, - none of the other things matter, because it is all about God. I have inner peace. I am content. I am satisfied. I am whole. I have looked in the right place and found what my soul needs - God with me!
Here's an idea - what if the first thing we (you and I) do when we wake up - even before we fall out of bed - is ask God to walk with us through the new day. Invite Him to just be with us. Perhaps even ask if we can be with Him.
If we were to do that each and every morning and mean it, I imagine that each morning God would smile real big and say, "I'd like nothing more, my child."
SCORE!!
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him." Psalm 62:5
Link to "As the Deer" written by Martin J. Nystrom
As always, when I see something that amazes me, I try to find a way to see God in it. This morning it was easy. Oh, I could quote the likely scripture here found in Matthew 6:26 "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" The lesson being: God takes care of the birds, He'll take care of you. But, I'd like to go much deeper today. Let's think about our soul. The heart of each one of us.
My little friend the robin, kept searching, kept filling herself with bugs and worms. (Ewwww!!) She needs to keeping filling herself. It is a matter of survival and perhaps being able to feed her young. I have to ask, what do we keep filling ourselves with? What feeds the very heart of you -- your soul? What do you think you need to make you whole - to survive? We often search for people we think will fill us up. Maybe for you it is traveling, or a nice house, a boat, a motorcycle, a better job, more money - the list can go on forever. We could go on searching tirelessly and we don't find what we need. My little robin was not always successful in her foraging. Sometimes she'd drive her beak into the ground and come up empty-beaked. She hadn't looked in the right place. We are the same. We can look and buy and go and do but we won't find what we need until we look in the right place - UP!
God made us so we could and would have a relationship with Him. He made us in such a way that our souls long for Him. He is what we need for survival. He is the one who makes us whole. "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." Psalm 63:1 "My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." Psalm 84:2
I have Psalm 62: 1-2 labeled in my Bible as "My Song". "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken." God made each one of us so that He could be with us; so we could be filled up with Him. He even sent His Son, Jesus - Emmanuel - which means 'God with us" so we could be with Him eternally. When my soul is filled up with God, - none of the other things matter, because it is all about God. I have inner peace. I am content. I am satisfied. I am whole. I have looked in the right place and found what my soul needs - God with me!
Here's an idea - what if the first thing we (you and I) do when we wake up - even before we fall out of bed - is ask God to walk with us through the new day. Invite Him to just be with us. Perhaps even ask if we can be with Him.
If we were to do that each and every morning and mean it, I imagine that each morning God would smile real big and say, "I'd like nothing more, my child."
SCORE!!
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him." Psalm 62:5
Link to "As the Deer" written by Martin J. Nystrom
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)