Jesus is in the small stuff

I'm a day late, but here is my Five Minute Friday post!  Today's word prompt is Small.

One November, when I was about 20, we had a very well known minister visit our church and talk about his recent work in Russia.  He was a stateside preacher, but did do a lot of missions work as well, and missions was my heartbeat.  While he was talking about his work in Russia, where he was distributing coats to people who badly needed them, I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me, in a still small voice, to give my brand new coat to him at the end of the night for his next trip.  He wasn't asking for coats, and I didn't think I could even get close enough to him to give it to him.  

Let me backtrack a little here.  I was 20, in my first apartment, and barely making it.  I saved my money to buy this beautiful emerald green coat at a fancy store in town.  It cost me about $150 in 1993.  I was making about $5 an hour, so this coat was nearly a weeks wage for me.  To give this coat up would mean I'd freeze in our frigid Gulf Coast Texas air.  HA!  The bigger issue was that I thought it would be so insignificant and that really, who was I to approach this well known preacher to give my coat.  I thought surely he'll laugh and I'll be embarrassed.

Here's the kicker.  I didn't obey God.  It is the fist time I clearly remember saying "I can't do what you've asked me to do."  First, I felt too small, too insignificant to make a difference.  Second, I made God too small to make a difference through me.  

Jesus is in the small stuff, y'all.  He's in the big stuff, too.  Often times we get stuck in the small stuff thinking it doesn't compare to the big stuff.  But you know what?  It all matters.  We all matter.  YOU matter, and so do I.  Jesus wants to be in the middle of our small stuff just as much as He wants to be in the middle of our big stuff.  

He uses the small stuff to teach us big things about Him, about our Heavenly Father, and about the Grace that abounds.  Jesus often used parables and teachings about using examples of small things and how they make a big impact.  One example of the small thing becoming big was the Parable of the Mustard Seed.  

Matthew 13:32 "It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

I think of the gospel as a mustard seed.  It starts out small when we hear it, and as we grow in our knowledge of Christ, and in our faith, so that seed grows until it becomes a tree.  Then, when we have grown into spiritual trees, we offer shade and refuge to unbelievers with the hope that is in us.  

Don't despise small beginnings.  God wants to use us right where we are.  He'll use our small gift of $25 for the community center in Maubane, South Africa, and He'll use your smile toward a rude person, and He'll use our $5 McDonalds gift card to the homeless guy on the street corner, and He'll use our teaching moments as mothers, and He'll use us in the grocery store, at the bank or at the park.  He is waiting for us to just say YES.  Here I am, Lord.  Send me.  Use me.  Even when I feel insignificant and small, I trust you, and know you can use me.

I've gone over the five minutes this week.  I'm just really passionate about this.  Don't despise small beginnings, middles or ends.  There is so much more I wanted to write about this, but I want to end with a prayer today.

Father, Thank you.  Thank you for using us for your glory.  Thank you for showing us that we are not too small for you.  I pray that each person who reads this post will be encouraged to go all out for you whether you have opened the door for the big things or for the seemingly insignificant things.  I ask that you would put boldness in each one of us to trust that you are in the midst of our small stuff just as much as you are in the big stuff.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

*I still have that emerald green coat sitting in the back of my closet and have not worn it in over 15 years.  It's hard for me to admit that because I do very easily give things away.  I use that coat as a reminder to hold loosely, and listen closely.  God speaks softly most of the time.

A Thankful Heart: When You Get Quiet In Him

When I was about 7, my uncle got a chicken out of his backyard, and took an ax to it's throat.  I will never forget it because the thing that bothered me was, not that the blood was everywhere but, that the beak was still opening and closing and the body was still running around.  Hence the phrase, running around like a chicken with it's head cut off.  

From September through January, we are bombarded with back to school, birthday parties, class holiday parties, work holiday parties, visiting family, family visiting us, and the list goes on. On top of all of those requirements, life happens, the car breaks down, someone is sick, unexpected things that cause us to lose our focus.  It can be overwhelming because it's so easy to get caught up in the noise.  It's easy to lose our daily focus of time with the Lord over finishing a project or getting ready to go, go, go.  

It doesn't have to be that way for us.  No, instead, we can prioritize our day or our life around our time with God.  When we choose to get quiet with God, whether it's early morning or late at night, we can hear His still, small voice.  We can stay in step with Him, thus knowing which direction we are going.  In the midst of all the chaos going on, it's time for us to step back. Take a deep breath in God's word for you, and let it seep into every vein until it is so deep within that you have a quiet resolve that He is ordering your steps.

Sometimes it's our quiet submission to the Lord that echoes loudest. The quiet resolve to follow him that cause mountains to move. That shouts to people around us "I believe NOTHING is impossible for God."  That faith building assurance that he is in your midst.

He desires that relationship with you, and it really puts all of life's chaos into perspective and brings the ultimate peace.  Let me encourage you to make time in your day to spend with Jesus.  Read a devotional, memorize a scripture, pray, study His word, whatever you can do to draw near to Him, do it.  Friend, He loves you and longs to quiet you with His love.

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.  Zephaniah 3:17

Father, thank for rejoicing over us with gladness and giving us quiet assurance by your great love.  Thank you for loving us through our chaos.  Teach us to do your will, to stay in step with you and go in the direction you would have us go.  Open our eyes throughout our crazy day to see the people around us who need to see you through us.  Thank you for choosing us!  Thank you for your Spirit, which bears witness with our spirit that we are your children, Father God.  I love you, Lord!  Thank you for your quiet love.  In Jesus' Name, Amen!