God does a lot of really nice things for me to make my life more enjoyable. For example, although I am a frequent Delta flyer and virtually never fly United (just because of schedules; nothing against United), on today’s flight from Oklahoma to Chicago and then on to New York, I was seated in First Class on both United planes. This kind of thing happens all the time. A lot of little gifts that make things more pleasant and remind me of God’s love for me on a daily basis.
Which is great because so many of the big things in my life really haven’t been going well for quite some time.
While noticing and appreciating God’s little gifts, I have, in the past, said to Him, essentially, “That’s great and thank you, God, but what about the big stuff? I mean, if you can take care of this small thing, how about fixing something that is an ongoing disaster in my life?” (I’ve been more than a little upset when saying this.)
Then God showed me the way He responded to Jesus’ heart-felt request for deliverance from a much greater travail than mine. In Luke 22:42-44 Jesus is praying so earnestly for deliverance from the trial that He was about to suffer (the crucifixion) that His sweat is like great drops of blood. God responds by sending an angel to strengthen Him (verse 43). Wow. If I had been in Jesus’ shoes I would have said something like, “Gee, thanks, but in case You didn’t notice, I could use a bit more that that.”
But as we’ve discussed previously (Pruning, Job, Heading into the Storm), God often has something much greater in mind which we cannot see. It’s not that He doesn’t care: He cares very much – so much, in fact, that He refuses to accede to our desperate, though myopic, pleas but does as much as He can to comfort us without destroying the greater good that He is working in us, through us and for us.
Now I try to see the little gifts for what they are: examples of my Father’s love, reminders that He loves me just as much in the big things that don’t seem to be going as well, and, always, as simply gifts for my pleasure.
Which is great because so many of the big things in my life really haven’t been going well for quite some time.
While noticing and appreciating God’s little gifts, I have, in the past, said to Him, essentially, “That’s great and thank you, God, but what about the big stuff? I mean, if you can take care of this small thing, how about fixing something that is an ongoing disaster in my life?” (I’ve been more than a little upset when saying this.)
Then God showed me the way He responded to Jesus’ heart-felt request for deliverance from a much greater travail than mine. In Luke 22:42-44 Jesus is praying so earnestly for deliverance from the trial that He was about to suffer (the crucifixion) that His sweat is like great drops of blood. God responds by sending an angel to strengthen Him (verse 43). Wow. If I had been in Jesus’ shoes I would have said something like, “Gee, thanks, but in case You didn’t notice, I could use a bit more that that.”
But as we’ve discussed previously (Pruning, Job, Heading into the Storm), God often has something much greater in mind which we cannot see. It’s not that He doesn’t care: He cares very much – so much, in fact, that He refuses to accede to our desperate, though myopic, pleas but does as much as He can to comfort us without destroying the greater good that He is working in us, through us and for us.
Now I try to see the little gifts for what they are: examples of my Father’s love, reminders that He loves me just as much in the big things that don’t seem to be going as well, and, always, as simply gifts for my pleasure.
The flame shall not hurt thee;
ReplyDeleteI only design
Thy dross to consume,
and thy gold to refine.