When I sit and really think about the things God has done for me and how much He loves me it takes my breath away. There are so many little things throughout the day that I know are expressions of His love, and even if I've had a bad day when I look at those "little" things they add up, and it's as if all the bad things just fade away. I think that's one of my favorite things about how God works, in the small seeming insignificant moments...it doesn't always have to be this huge display.
One of my favorite Old Testament passages is 1 Kings 19. Elijah has just had the mountaintop face off with the prophets of Baal, and has emerged victorious. However, he is in hiding and begging God to take his life because Jezebel is out to get him. He prays for death, then lies down to sleep under a tree. An angel comes and wakes him up, and tells him to eat (food has appeared on the rock). It happens a second time and then he heads to Horeb (aka Mt. Sinai). He's up there in a cave and God comes and asks, "What are you doing here?" Elijah talks about how he has been very zealous for the Lord, even though the sons of Israel have turned against Him, and that he is the only one left. God tells him to go stand on the mountain because He is going to pass by, and these are my favorite verses from this chapter: "And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of gentle blowing." (vs. 11&12) When Elijah heard the gentle blowing he covered his face, and then a voice came again asking him what he was doing there. He repeats what he said earlier, and God gives him instructions that include a promise that Elijah will not be the only faithful one left. I love verses 11 &12, because there is all this loud thundering and destruction, and then God comes in the gentle blowing. I think people miss that a lot. They feel like they aren't hearing anything from God, but that's because they are looking for Him in some sort of big display of power. That's not to say that God doesn't work in big displays, I believe He does, however I think more often it's the little moments that we can see Him and feel Him.
One of my favorite times of day is when I drive to work in the morning. Not because I love being up that early, and not because I'm always super excited to go to work, but because I get to see the sun coming up in my rearview mirror. I LOVE sunrises (and sunsets)...really the sky is one of my favorite parts of creation, I really enjoy the night sky and seeing all the stars as well. No matter how many sunrises or sunsets I have seen I am always in awe of the beauty and colors. I hope that never changes. It's always calming to me when I see the sun coming up, and I feel very loved in that moment.
I've also noticed a lot of these little moments at work as well. It never fails that at a moment when I think I've reached the end and just can't take it anymore one of my kids will say or do something so sweet, or maybe just funny and it shakes me out of the funk I'm in. I feel like it's God saying, "Hey, I got this, now calm down!" Those moments are so precious to me, because I know they are from Him. I could list examples forever of God's love coming to me in the "gentle blowing". I've felt very overwhelmed by His love this week, when I keep my mind on what He has done for me and the many, many blessings He has provided...especially since I am so very undeserving. "Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You." Psalm 63:3
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