Small Things

Today's readings: Ps 131, 133, 134; Mic 3:1-8; Acts 24:1-23; Luke 7:36-50

For the last several weeks we’ve been reading about larger than life figures. Hosea selected a wife and gave his children very unusual names to teach a whole nation about God’s relationship with Israel. Esther risked her life to save her people. John the Baptist paved the way for Christ himself. How can we ever hope to measure up to such grand expressions of faith? The good news is… we don’t have to!

Most of us are going to live out a quieter faith life, but not a lesser one. Sometimes we become convinced faith requires grand gestures, and we can become so preoccupied with figuring out what significant things we’re meant to do, that we are no longer able to simply be. A life of faith will undoubtedly make demands of us, and there may be some occasions where the grand gesture is in order, but even if that happens, most of our life will be lived between those moments. How we live our faith in those “between” times is every bit as important.

Today’s psalm selections illustrate faith unfolding in the time between. Psalm 131 is only three verses long, but its imagery of children and mothers at peace speaks volumes about the nature of faith during quiet times. Mothers and children are about as common a phenomenon as we’ll find, but using them to express our relationship with God expands our understanding of both.

Psalm 133 is about the blessedness of living in unity. Another three-verse gem, this psalm contains imagery that may be unusual to us (oil running over a beard and collar?), but it shows us the importance of being. There is no doing in this psalm. Action does not enhance the simple blessing of living in God’s realm.

Finally, Psalm 134 (also three verses) is an evening benediction that probably marked the change in priests from day shift to night shift. God was present even in this small daily exchange, just as God is present in the small transactions of our everyday lives. When we recognize this truth, every moment is part of the holy.

Comfort: No life is too small for God to be great in it.

Challenge: Write three sentences describing your relationship with God.

Prayer: Teach me, O Lord, to see you in the small things.

Evening reading: Ps 132, 135

Tomorrow's readings: Ps 140, 142; Mic 3:9-4:5; Acts 24:24-25:12; Luke 8:1-15