Look up, child

Have you ever cried out to God when things look bleak or dark or when it seems like the world is going to hell in a hand-basket? In those scary dark times God is there. God is in all of it. God is reminding us, in the million little things that happen around us, that the Creator of the World is still in charge.  Sometimes that’s hard to imagine but it becomes exceedingly clear when we stop and look up. 

There’s a song that has been stuck in my head for a few days now, so I ask your indulgence as I share it with you here. 

Press on the link to hear Lauren Dangle (one of my favourite Christian artists) sing her song Look up Child.*

Near the end of the song she sings, speaking of God:

You're not threatened by the war

You're not shaken by the storm

I know You're in control

Even in our suffering

Even when it can't be seen

I know You're in control

I hear You say

Look up child, Look up child, Look up child! 

In the midst of your day, whether things are bleak or bright, remember to take a moment and LOOK UP child.  

*(Songwriters: Jason Ingram / Lauren Daigle / Paul Mabury Look Up Child lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC)

A million little things.

Have you ever had a season in your life when nothing goes as planned?

It seems of late my life has been filled with interruptions -  generally speaking unplanned, unexpected events that have either thrown me for a loop or caused me great frustration.  Perhaps you can relate?

Like being stuck in traffic when you need to get to an appointment;  or repairs on the car or an appliance that suddenly stops working.  Or the urgent phone call, just as you’re going to bed. Or an unexpected illness of a loved one that turns your well crafted plans on its ear.  And that was just September! 

I suppose one part of me would like to throw myself a pity party, and the other part of me wants desperately to see God.

I want to believe that all the interruptions to my life are not random, meaningless events but rather have been divinely placed in my path for a reason. 

I want to believe that God is using these interruptions to transform me to be more like Jesus.

The other night as I turned on the television I saw commercial for a new series called A Million Little Things.  I have no idea what the show is about but the title caught my imagination. 

It seems to me that it won’t be a major event in our life that causes us to trust and obey God in some extraordinary way.  We likely won’t be asked to build an ark or take our only child up Mount Moriah. Instead we will have an opportunity to rely on God in the million little things that happen every day. It will be in the small frustrations and interruptions in our everyday life, where we can choose to rely, obey and bring glory to God.  It will be in the million little things that will cause our faith to stretch and force us to deal with questions like:

• is God really in control of all the details of my life?

• is God’s grace sufficient to get me through the day? 

• is God powerful enough to sustain and strengthen me in the midst of life’s interruptions? 

It can be hard to see all the little frustrating events and interruptions in our day as divinely placed opportunities to grow in grace, but I believe they are. 

And when I look at them that way it takes my eyes off me (and my pity party) and puts them squarely where they belong, on God, reminding me again God is who I need the most!

So many choices!

So this morning, out of curiosity, I googled this question:  How many choices do we make a day?  

Can you guess what the answer was?  I was floored.  Here is what my google search told me:

“Based on this are impulsive and logic thinking, where more complex decisions are made. According to multiple sources on the Internet, the average amount of remotely conscious decisions an adult makes each day equals about 35,000. In contrast, young children only make about 3,000 decisions each day.”

I would consider myself an adult (most days). So that is 35,000! Could I possibly make that many decisions in a day?

So it got me thinking:

• I made a decision to turn off the alarm and get out of bed. 

• I made a choice to take a shower, and wash my hair, though I probably could have waited another day.

• I chose to have tea and yogurt, and then decided it was an Egg McMuffin  kind of morning. 

• I decided what to wear - that was about 100 choices right there! Should I wear a sweater?  Do I need a jacket this morning?  Yup to both.

• I chose what to pack for lunch. 

• I decided whether to answer a phone call (I did not, the only people who call the land line are duct cleaners!). 

• I decided to water the plants before leaving the house because they could not wait another day.  

• I decided which route I would take to the church to avoid traffic.

And those were only some of the decisions. I may have made more than 5,000 decisions before I left the house this morning!

Over the past four weeks we have been talking about choices.  We weren’t talking about the random choices we make everyday but rather choices that actually lead us in one direction or another.  Like choosing purpose over popularity, surrender over control, and the important over the urgent.  If you missed our series called Choices be sure to go on the website and have a listen.

Our choices matter

Our choice matter and our choices don’t only affect us, but they affect those around us.

In the 35,000 decisions you make today, take a moment to pause before choosing. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and counsel. And choose to follow as the Lord leads.