March 19, 2016

God Cares About The Details

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. -- Luke 12:7

Something wonderful happened the other day. I was driving down a winding two-lane road and came upon construction work. You know the kind. One lane is blocked so we’re all having to take turns. It can really delay a trip.

Well, I got there just in time to be the last vehicle in the line. I didn’t have to wait at all. I was thrilled! I immediately praised God for the blessing. My companion looked at me as though I’d lost my mind.

We traveled on, did our business, then headed back on the same road. Guess what? We got there just in time to be the last vehicle in the moving line. We didn’t have to stop. Again. How crazy wonderful is that?

I asked my companion: “Do you realize what God has done for us? He made a clear path both ways. We weren’t even delayed.”

She didn’t share my enthusiasm.

I know there are some folks who don’t believe that God gets into the details of our lives. I totally disagree. God cares about every, single detail in our lives. He numbers the hairs on our heads! Of course, he cares if we’re stuck in traffic or not.

I am so aware that God is awesome and almighty. He created the universe and He created me. He is so powerful and mighty. And He loves me. He does. And when you love someone, you care about the details of their lives.

Do we realize how much God loves us? Not just as humans but as the individuals He created us to be. Yeah, He gets involved in the big stuff. But He also gets involved in the little stuff, like blessing us with an easy trip. And I didn’t even ask!

In the book of James, we are told we don’t have because we either don’t ask or we ask with wrong motives. Think about that. How many times do we fail to ask God because we think that what we want or need is just too trivial to bother Him with? He wants to be bothered.

God wants a relationship with us. He wants us to seek Him out and want to spend time with Him. God wants us to tell Him the details of our lives, to choose to include Him in all of our lives.

So talk to Him about the details. You never know what might happen.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Jesus’ Light Shines In The Details

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. -- 1 Peter 2:9

Sometimes I really get in a tizzy. There’s just no other way to describe it. Things aren’t going as I planned, are likely careening out of control, and I’m a mess.

Deep breath, I tell myself. My mind races to quote Scripture to myself in the midst of frantic thoughts of doomsday. Not THE doomsday, you understand. Nothing that serious. Just my panicked thoughts of what night happen because my plans have gone awry.

It’s been that kind of year. I make plans and other people’s lives change my plans. It’s just how it is. Most of the time I laugh it off. There’s no point in getting upset about something that can’t be helped and, really, I’m blessed and I know it.

And then there are those days. I’m tired. Burnt out. Crabby. I just don’t feel like dealing with the issues other people are throwing at me. But I have to deal with them anyway.

That leaves me with a choice: Do I show them how put out I feel or do I show them that even in irritating circumstances Jesus’ light still shines within me? Because how we react when things aren’t going the way we want is how people truly see Jesus in our lives.

We don’t just belong to Him when things are going great. And we don’t just belong to Him when we’re sick or facing heartache or some other devastating trouble. We’re His in the details of our lives and that’s where others see Him best.

So in the midst of my tizzy, what are others seeing? A frustrated woman who is upset at the world? Or a woman holding tightly to Jesus while the waves of life knock her around?

And what about you? Surely you didn’t think you’d get a pass on this one. Because we all have meltdowns from time to time. We all tend to forget our manners, forget who we belong to, forget that this moment will pass and that it really isn’t important anyway.

And that’s why I’ve learned to laugh. It isn’t always easy but it helps me keep the little things in perspective. Laughter helps me focus on what matters and how blessed I truly am. I’ve walked that other path and, believe me, these small irritations are nothing much to worry about. I just grab hold of Jesus’ hand knowing He can handle anything that comes my way.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

God’s Anger Nothing To Laugh About

Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief?

-- Hebrews 3:16-19

The room filled with laughter as they shared a joke about those Israelites with no sense of direction. Take a look at the map, one said. How could they not find their way? They really didn’t have that far to travel and yet they kept going in circles.

Ah, I think they missed the point. And the lesson. And let me tell you from experience, missing the lesson is never, ever a good thing.

The Israelites didn’t keep missing the Promised Land because they were directionally challenged. They kept missing it because God said they would wander in the desert until those who sinned against God died. Period. They weren’t getting in the Promised Land. No way. No how. Wasn’t happening. Because God said so and God doesn’t lie.

God knew their sin just as He knows our hearts. Why do we think we can pull something over on God? Why do we think we’re in control? Why do we believe -- even jokingly -- that we could have found the Promised Land even though God clearly said no?

It’s that arrogance that will get us into trouble every time. Because we get to thinking we’re smarter than we are. And that we can do anything we want. That we’re in control. That we determine our own destiny. And that we don’t need God as much as everybody else does. At least not when it comes to the details of life.

Yeah, the details. All those little things that add up and make a life. We’ve got the details covered. Or so we think.

Until we lose that high-paying job. Until we get sick. Until we’re in a wreck. Until we find out our spouse is having an affair. Or our child is on drugs. Or until our best friend betrays a confidence. Or, well, it doesn’t matter. Or does it?

Because it’s the details that can really destroy your life. It’s the details that can derail your dreams and send you to your knees. It’s the details that make you realize how little you really are and how very big God really is.

The Israelites didn’t make it to the Promise Land because they doubted. They didn’t trust God. We’re in danger of the same thing when we doubt God’s power in our own lives. God is mighty and Sovereign and Creator and Protector. He is everything, in the details or the big stuff. It’s nothing to laugh about. Just ask the Israelites.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Trust God With The Details

Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had told them not to go into the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go. -- Acts 16:6-7

Who controls your life? Maybe you’re one of those who control your own destiny. Or maybe a spouse or parent controls your life. Maybe it’s a boss, a company, the military, or even the economy.

Actually, it’s none of the above. God controls your life -- if you’re wise enough to give it over to Him to be used for His purpose.

Some folks just aren’t comfortable with that. Even Christian folks. Even, sometimes, pastors and other church leaders. It’s not that they don’t trust God. It’s just that they don’t trust God to do what they want Him to do. It’s like they feel they need to help Him out a little bit, just until He sees the light.

I know. It’s laughable and just so very misguided. God will do what God will do. Period. And most of the time I’m really glad about that because He truly does know best. When I get a little upset, it’s almost always when He’s calling me to do something I’d really rather not do.

Someone once asked me if I felt threatened when the former teacher of the Sunday school class I lead came to visit. Why would I? As I explained, God called me to teach the class. I wasn’t expecting it but He did it anyway. And I’ll teach it until He tells me not to. End of story.

Another man is determined to do good for God in all things. I watch him sometimes and I am amazed. He truly has a wonderful heart and is open to new ideas. Except that he wants to micromanage everything and everyone around him. It can’t last. He’ll burnout eventually. Unfortunately, that will probably come after he’s alienated other wonderful people.

It all comes back to each of us doing whatever God has called us to do. Not what God has told someone else to do.

That’s difficult to do sometimes. It’s that control thing. It’s really hard to let go and trust others to do things the way we want them done. We’re afraid that someone will drop the ball and we’ll be left with a mess to clean up. Truly, it sometimes happens that way.

But what about those times when everyone does his or her part and it all just comes together and God’s glory shines brightly? God is in control and He knows what He’s doing. Don’t just trust Him with the big things in your life. Trust Him with the details and let others do the same.