Faith in the Little

"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'" Matthew 25:21

When I decided to begin re-blogging & my wonderful friend Rachel offered to beautify it she told me I needed a title. So I began thinking. Of course I wanted something that was catchy & read "she's so effortlessly impressive". Hello sinful self. I have this ugly desire that continually creeps into and seeps out of my life. It is the desire to be known. To get a pat on the back. Be acknowledged. Thought highly of. Made a big deal out of. Be complimented (publicly of course). And so on. So ugly. And even though I see it & hate it about myself, even though I seem to be repenting of this OFTEN, I still want all those things.

So in the midst of coming up with a title for my blog God was again pruning my heart of my selfishness. And, as often He does, it came through my hubsy. We weren't even talking about my blog...we were just talking about life. Mine & his. Our kids. What we were "doing" with our lives. How were we honoring God? Glorifying His Name? Serving Him, loving Him, obeying Him, giving ourselves up for Him? I shamefully admit to Andrew, God, and now you, that I am willing to do anything He calls us to but I really want it to be BIG and NOTICABLE and IMPRESSIVE and so on. And through these emotions, my sweet patient Andrew, and my sweet patient Jesus, I am pruned. I hear Him asking me, are you faithful now? With your family? With your parenting? With loving your husband? With your sacrificial giving? With your church? With your friends? With Me? And the bigger question, are you satisfied in Me? Am I enough? He loves me, gives me life, surrounds me, upholds me...why do I look for more in the dark nothingness?

So my prayers become Lord, give me faith in the little so I can be faithful over a little. Not little in the sense of unimportant. But little in the eyes of the world. Unnoticed. Unacknowledged. Unappreciated. But great in the eyes of the one who created me. The One who called me from darkness to Light. The One whose approval is all that matters. In the eyes of the One I desperately want to love and live for. What a beautiful promise the master gives the servant in Matthew 25, enter into the joy of your master. Wow-that is where I want to be.

I love the hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness, and especially the last verse, what joy to be guided & cheered by the Presence of God. So glad He is Faithful always.

Great is Thy faithfulness," O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

"Great is Thy faithfulness!" "Great is Thy faithfulness!"
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
"Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!