God in the Ordinary

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11

What is the most beautiful thing you can think of? I’m guessing things like sunsets, rainbows, ocean views, mountain tops, and of course flowers and babies would be on the list.

When we see the beautiful things God created for our enjoyment, it’s easy to recognize His presence in the world. Some of His color, design and absolute genius take our breath away and it’s easy to remember to acknowledge, praise, and thank Him when we’re surrounded by some of His beautiful and amazing work.

That’s just the way it should be, but what about looking for God in the ordinary stuff of life as well as the majestic and beautiful?

God is the God of the ordinary. He is always waiting to surprise us around every corner, but sometimes we’re so busy looking for Him in the big stuff, we miss Him in the little stuff. God doesn’t always bless us in huge dynamic ways, sometimes His blessings come in quiet, ordinary situations.

Last weekend Dave and Kevin were hauling the cattle trailer back from MSU and the truck just absolutely died; no warning, just completely conked out. YUCK! That was one of those situations that can really test your patience.

But, in the middle of that ordinary situation, God was waiting with a blessing. The truck broke down on the way home, with no cattle or show supplies and equipment to worry about. The completely cool part of the situation was that the truck conked out about 100 yards from our driveway. The Wohlferts were quite thankful for His choice of location!

God doesn’t want us to speak with Him just when we see big, beautiful, and amazing stuff. He wants to hear from us as we stand smack dab in the middle of the everyday ordinary stuff that makes up our day-to-day life. He wants us to realize He’s waiting for us in the middle of the regular!

How many people can you pray for when you fold a load of laundry? How many times can you call down God’s blessing upon your family as you pack their lunch or prepare dinner? How many times does your heart ache when you call to mind someone who is sick or suffering? Why not lift them up in prayer by name while you wash dishes or sweep the garage? That stuff is a huge part of our everyday life, so ask God to meet you there!

The next time I see a sunset or feel the cool rain on a hot, dusty day, I’ll be sure to thank God, but I will try equally hard to chat with Him when I try to match up whichever socks the dryer hasn’t eaten or scrub petrified syrup off the breakfast table. I hope today is an ordinary day because God can make EVERYTHING beautiful…and I can’t wait to see how many places I can find Him in my ordinary!

A Seed To Plant: Pick three things you see or use often (cell phone, car keys etc.). Make up a short little prayer you can say each time you use that ordinary object. Perhaps you could pray before sending or answering a call or text on your cell phone. “Lord, please make my words pleasing to Your ears.” Or before starting your car you might pray, “Lord let this trip bring me closer to You.”

Blessings on your day!