The day of small things

“Faith is not about me getting what I want in my outer world; it’s about God getting what he wants in my inner world.”- John Ortberg

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”- Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)

John Ortberg continues Chapter 4 of All the Places to Go with a look at “some common myths about God and doors and the truth that lies behind them.”  The first myth is described today.

1.  God is not involved in my little life.  One of the most crippling myths is that we’re either not spiritual or significant enough to have great adventures with divine doors.  In other words, God is too busy with other things to pay attention to us.

Because we have no conception of what is small in God’s eyes, Pastor Ortberg exhorts us not to despise the day of small things.  Spiritual and physical sizes are not measured by the same standards.  John adds that our world is very small when we’re born and becomes increasingly smaller as we age.  We’ll never learn to find God at all if we don’t find Him in our small worlds, as the author concludes:

“We have no idea what is big or small in God’s eyes.  But for sure, I will never go through a ‘big’ door if I do not humble myself to the task of discerning and entering all the small ones.  Do not despise the day of small things.  For that, too, is the day the Lord has made.”

Today’s question: How do you fight the temptation to despise the day of small things?  Please share.

Coming Tuesday: the latest Short Meditation, “Braced for the future”

Tomorrow’s blog: “Making difficult decisions”

The day of small things

Anticipated blessing

Charles Stanley continues Chapter 3 of Waiting on God as he concludes his discussion of Abraham’s responses to God’s promises.

2.  The temptation to speed the plan along.  Especially when the anticipated blessing is important to us, time has a way of wearing on even the strongest faith.  The temptation to take matters into our own hands becomes great.  Our focus is on the obstacles instead of the Lord’s ability to overcome them.  Like Abraham and Sarah, every time we get ahead of God or try to wrestle control from His hands, we make a mess.  Nothing good ever will come of it.

3.  The test to prove what really rules your heart.  Dr. Stanley notes that twenty-five years elapsed between the time Abraham received God’s promise and its fulfillment.  Certainly Isaac was very precious to Abraham and Sarah.  Yet the Lord tested Abraham by telling Him to sacrifice Isaac.

Dr. Stanley states that the Hebrew word for “tested is nasah, meaning “to try, assay, or prove.”  The word often is used when referring to examining the quality of weapons.  Here God demonstrated the quality of Abraham’s faith and what truly ruled his heart.  God already knew everything that was in Abraham.  Abraham need to make the choice, in the process recognizing that God indeed came first.

Submitting to God’s command wasn’t easy for this man of faith.  It certainly was downright agonizing.  While we aren’t privy to Abraham’s thoughts, we do know what he did.  He obeyed anyway.

Today’s question: What promises of God have strengthened your faith following your vocation loss?  Please share.

Tomorrow’s blog: “Strongholds in our lives”

 

 

Anticipated blessing