"There's immense power in small things. An atom. A seed. A word. Such power is paradoxical. It was the Almighty's supreme authority, and the power to make that authority effective, that made the paradox of the Incarnation so stunning - God becoming as small as we are. One of the three Persons of the Godhead giving up unlimited power (Paul calls it "emptying" in Philippians 2), becoming downwardly mobile, wordless for nine months in the womb, a helpless human infant, born in humility and poverty...Buried in a woman's body. Birthed in a cold cave. Buried in a lifetime of ignominy. Buried again in the tomb. Buried in human hearts to be birthed and rooted and risen again - in us."
""I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds..."" John 12:24
"Lord Jesus, you gave away your divine power to become enfleshed - one of us. Help us to give away what power we receive from you, that we, though insignificant, may be like showers of refreshing water to those around us."
(God With Us, p. 81-82)
This was a timely reading for me. The last week and a half has been long and tiring for me, and I have felt rather emptied. It was a good reminder that serving my family is never a waste of time, even in the most insignificant, or routine, or dull, or frantic, or cluttered, or exhausted moments. If you ever feel like this, a good book to read is The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. He was a monk whose perspective on worshiping God in the everyday moments of life is so encouraging and necessary. So for today, for these next hours, minutes, and seconds, I just want to remember that whether I am wiping noses and bums or folding laundry or making supper or playing cars or giving a sick husband a back rub and a cup of tea or listening to a whiny two year old and a crying three month old or getting the best two year old hug and the best three month old smile...in any and all of these things I can be worshiping God, who fills me even as I am emptied.
""I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds..."" John 12:24
"Lord Jesus, you gave away your divine power to become enfleshed - one of us. Help us to give away what power we receive from you, that we, though insignificant, may be like showers of refreshing water to those around us."
(God With Us, p. 81-82)
This was a timely reading for me. The last week and a half has been long and tiring for me, and I have felt rather emptied. It was a good reminder that serving my family is never a waste of time, even in the most insignificant, or routine, or dull, or frantic, or cluttered, or exhausted moments. If you ever feel like this, a good book to read is The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. He was a monk whose perspective on worshiping God in the everyday moments of life is so encouraging and necessary. So for today, for these next hours, minutes, and seconds, I just want to remember that whether I am wiping noses and bums or folding laundry or making supper or playing cars or giving a sick husband a back rub and a cup of tea or listening to a whiny two year old and a crying three month old or getting the best two year old hug and the best three month old smile...in any and all of these things I can be worshiping God, who fills me even as I am emptied.
1 comment:
Thinking of you as you care for a sick husband AND two children. I know when Craig is sick and I have worked a full day and know that then I have to return to care for him....it's hard!! Praying for you as you empty yourself for your family.
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