One of the hardest things about being a parent or caretaker is the amount of work that is done without any accolades, praise or thanks from those you are serving. It is amazing when you stop and think about what it is you do all day just in caring for people, whether it be kids, elderly parents, friends, grandkids, students or patients. You show up, cook, clean, fold, listen, empathize, teach, discipline, encourage, drive, and so much more. Each little task involved in caring for another person gets done as second nature after a while, but it is always a gesture of love and care for the recipient.
Have you ever considered the amount of care God puts into each day for you? I know, it’s easier to get hung up on the negative—the things we didn’t get, the hurts we did experience and the lack of something. But when you stop and think about His great love for you in each day, you can’t help but be grateful. I think about how sometimes I wish my kids would turn around and thank me for the 17thtime I’ve picked up dirty socks in the first hour of my day (how are there this many dirty socks around when I only have 2 kids??). But I just expect God to hold my world together in so many ways and never thank Him for it either.
When I first started being challenged in my emotional concept of God by Mike Wells, I knew so many things that were supposed to be true about God (loving, patient, kind, faithful, etc) but really didn’t believe any of them personally. So, my emotional concept of God was much more of a judgmental jerk who waited for me to mess up so He could point out how much of a disappointment I was. I knew that wasn’t who He was with my mind, but my emotions told a different story. The cool thing was it wasn’t up to me to fix that. I got to simply be available to the idea that perhaps God wasn’t this horrible caricature I had made of Him, and let Him show me the truth.
The way He started to reveal the truth of His great care for me was through little things. A bright flower in a surprising place, a beautiful sunset, a call from a long lost friend. All of these were reminders of His love in the most individual expressions. I am so blown away that each of us experiences this love in a very unique way, designed just for our particular personality and need.
We must be willing to see His care, though. Often, I think we close our eyes and put our hands over our ears and wonder why we don’t see or hear from God. At least I do! But He is faithful to remind me that burying my head in the sand is not going to allow me the perspective I need. I want Him to change my heart about who I really believe He is, allowing me to see the truth about His character. And through this process, I begin to see His great care for me—the million things He is doing to preserve, maintain and nurture my life. The recognition of God’s great care for me sends me right where it should—to worship, to praise and to falling to my knees in awe.
You can buy two sparrows for only a copper coin, yet not even one sparrow falls from its nest without the knowledge of your Father. Aren’t you worth much more to God than many sparrows? So don’t worry. For your Father cares deeply about even the smallest detail of your life. Matthew 10:29-31