God shapes our faith like a U2 song, ordinarily and epically: The sea throws rocks together/But time leaves us polished stones. Like the table all strewn with the stuff that should have been put away Again. Like when you discipline your kid when you are pretty sure he's lying but you can't tell. Out of your mouth you hear, "Remember God knows if you are lying. Think about that!" Like the lights left on Again.
“He said, ‘Good servant! Great work! Because you’ve been trustworthy in this small job, I’m making you governor of ten towns.’ (Luke 19:17 MSG)
You, the forgotten and neglected, fighting back the anxiety. You feel like you should be helping people who want to be helped, like serving at a Bible study, or having tea with a neighbor. Here you are mopping the floor furiously, exerting sweat and helpfulness only to be unnoticed again.
Thoughts swirl downward as every table scratch and dirty dish appear highlighted in neon. You sit with a magazine. The one highlighting a baby born in a trash heap. The next article, a 9-year old carrying 30 pounds of water, fatherless, dreaming dreams about a better life on meager cents. She knows more than you: what the Scripture says about her is true. God sees and knows. She knows. You should know.
You remember how the sweet little fibber brought you a picture of Jesus in the stable as you tried to escape the madness of your mind on the yoga mat.
By an act of faith, Rahab, the Jericho harlot, welcomed the spies and escaped the destruction that came on those who refused to trust God. I could go on and on, but I’ve run out of time.
There are so many more—Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets. . . .
Through acts of faith, they toppled kingdoms, made justice work, took the promises for themselves. (Hebrews 11:31-33 MSG)
Today is just one day out of a lifetime of superbly ordinary moments, a chance to see beyond the wanting to be seen. Faith grows in the giving up on ourselves and falling into God's arms.
But you are...God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9 NIV)
Faith means saying out loud, "I believe in this God whom I cannot see. I remember what he has done for me." Speak it out! Say it to your friends via text, email, in person, over and over and over. Tattoo it on your body with Sharpie.
Then give yourself a break and eat a Snickers. Or 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips. Whatever's on hand.
Open His Word and remember the people who came before you...
...stories of vagrants wandering the earth in animal skins, homeless, friendless, powerless—the world didn’t deserve them!—making their way as best they could on the cruel edges of the world. (Hebrews 11:31:38 MSG)
The blessing of God with you when the world is forgetting. Those rock edges, tossed about and ever small, ever sharp, He will smooth until you shine in the sun.
It is precisely in the small tasks and hard, self-centered moments we can learn to see His provision, His grace. Oh, God, grow my faith as I strive to be faithful with the tasks you give me, the works you have set before me, unnoticed by the world, but noticed by You.
Christina H.
