Our days are filled with many tasks and activities. Much of what is done each and every day is without any fanfare. Our days are routine, often very similar day in and day out.
No one seems to notice what gets done and we can often wonder if it matters, or will ever make a difference.
It truly does make a difference. The most important work we will ever do is often done in secret. It may even be our best work, the only work which will matter.
Our most important accomplishments witnessed by an audience of One.
During His time on earth, Jesus did many miraculous acts. He knew He was to do the work and will of the Father.
Scripture has recorded many of these events for us so that we would know and believe. However, Scripture also tells us this:
“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they *were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself *would not contain the books that *would be written.” (John 21:25, NASB)
Jesus was active every day, both in the miraculous and in the mundane. He lived in the dailyness of life, sharing his days with the disciples.
We find Him walking dusty roads, asleep in a boat, teaching to the crowds, praying alone, and cooking fish on the shore.
Even these ordinary activities are recorded for us, without great detail, because they were common.
In the course of our ordinary days, where will we choose to see the handiwork of the Lord?
Will we see Him in the cloud formations overhead? In the wind whipping through the now bare trees? In the conversations with a loved one? On the pages of our Bibles as we quietly read?
These thoughts brought to mind a song from years ago. The lyrics state:
“It’s the everyday miracles that keep my hope aliveIt’s the way You move in little things that help me surviveAnd I know You move in greater waysBut this is great enough for meWhat You do with my everyday is amazing.”
(from Everyday Miracles, sung by Sara Groves)
And isn’t that so it?
As we read of the lame made to walk, the blind who come to see, dignity restored, storms which are stilled, and food provided, we find ourselves hoping and believing for the impossible.
May we be like Abraham –
“Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping.”
Keep looking for the everyday miracles.
Jesus Himself modeled rest because He knew that a weary soul is not an effective one. You don’t have to push through exhaustion to prove your value. Instead, you can follow Jesus’ example and step into the rest He offers. Dr. Michelle Bengsten offers much wisdom and suggestions in her post, How to Rest in God HERE.
Come, sit a spell. Bring your coffee, your posts, and your thoughts. If you link up, kindly visit those who have drawn up a seat around you.
Photo by Kyle Barron on Unsplash
It’s a true blessing that our Lord spent so much time in everyday pursuits and is with us in ours.
Amen!
Yes, He’s in the storm clouds and the baby pictures. The cozy comforts and the bracing winds. In the organizing and the planning and the restlessness.
He is the air we breathe.
Living for an Audience of One makes all the difference, Joanne.
Everyday miracles ARE a blessing, Joanne! When our hearts are attuned to Christ, we find Him everywhere, including along the hard paths or in the darkness. I will often encounter Him during my shift at the hospice inpatient center in the beauty of a beloved pet snuggled in bed bringing comfort to their suffering master. Is this not the God of all comfort?
Our everyday pursuits are the kind of thing that no one notices, for sure, but it wouldn’t take long for someone to notice if we STOPPED doing them…
Oh, how I wish I had a glimpse into the depth and breadth of what Jesus did – the so much that could not be included in one book. It’s the little things that define our lives – not the big things – and I am viewing your post on how I want to be a comfort and kindness in my grands everyday ordinary – not big day comforts and kindnesses – but I want to make those ordinary moments a reflection of Gods love – in just the work of the hands and the attitudes I bear.
I believe those ordinary tasks build character and resilience. I enjoy seeing how God turned ordinary days into something special in Scripture. He showed up in a burning bush on an ordinary day, sent for David to anoint him the next king while he tended his sheep, sent an angel to Mary unexpectedly turning ordinary into extraordinary.
Such a poignant & timely message Joanne.
Thank you 😊
Blessings, Jennifer
I’m always rather amazed by how your weekly posts speak to something I’ve experienced within the last week, Joanne! God is at work in our every day lives and there are tiny miracles taking place all around us… we just have to keep our ears and eyes and hearts open to listening! This week your words reminded me of a recent conversation I had about how God, in the mundaneness of our everyday lives, is often planting seeds of the legacy we will leave behind… in the words and actions and expressions of faith we share with others!
“Our most important accomplishments witnessed by an audience of One.” Amen! He sees the extra mile we go when sometimes our loved ones are oblivious to our efforts. Best of all, He alone knows WHY we do what we do.
It’s true, Joanne … My heart is so encouraged when I take the time to notice the “everyday miracles.” God is at work all around us, even (perhaps especially) in the small things.