This past week was full and I found that I was misplacing things, dropping items, bumping my knee and just at odds with myself. When I am not feeling balanced my life tends to run me. On one particular day I needed to take a receipt to the store and pick up something for our son that he had prepaid. He had been waiting a long time for this item and I promised him that I would get it that day.
Imagine my dismay when I realized that I didn't know where I had put the receipt. I tore up my home office, emptied several briefcases, dumped the contents of my purse and I could not find it anywhere. Frustrated and running late, I hopped in the car and headed for the church knowing that I might have to pay for the item all over again. (NOT a happy thought!)
In spite of myself, it was a glorious day and I could not help but marvel at the beauty of the day. Thank you God for this majesty, thank you for your love. Suddenly it hit me. Why not ask God for help? But my head played mind games. This surely was not big enough to take to God, right? Oh well, I prayed anyway.
"God," I said, "I know this is a stupid request. I am sure there are people who are hungry who need you more than me, there are hurting and dying folks that long for your comfort, but I'm in a pickle right now. I have lost a receipt and I'm not asking you to reach your hand down and flash it in front of my face, but could you just jog my memory? Could you clear my mind long enough for me to settle in and remember where it is? I know it's not really important in the big scheme of things, but it's important to me now. Thank you God for listening. Amen."
Immediately when I was done with that prayer and I kid you not, immediately, I remembered where I had put the receipt. As soon as it was possible I pulled the car off the street and opened my purse and checked the little envelope where I had a few notes. There it was! "God, you came through for me," I exclaimed.
It's true folks - God cares about the very little things in our lives. I spent the rest of the day being in such gratitude for my connectedness to God. Oh some people will explain it away and say it was all about my human ability to remember and the conscious effort I made to recall. That's okay. It does not alter the lesson I keep learning - God loves me and cares for me - down to the tiny parts of my life. Just like the gospel says. God cares for the flowers and the birds. Oh how glorious this is! How marvelous! This is the joy that keeps me going in the tough times.
Reflection & Journaling
Blessing - How does this scripture open your life to a new vision of God? How did God bless you this week? Name some of the little ways in which you see God around you.
Challenge - Why do you hold back from talking to God? Do you think God doesn't care about the details of life? What will you bring to God today and ask for wisdom, guidance or healing?
Prayer - God of the details, keep pulling me towards you even as I find excuses to turn away from you. Open my eyes to the ways in which you love me and give me a boldness to share this with others. Create in me a heart of gratitude for the small things and thank you for being in the nooks and crannies of my life. Amen
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