“God’s purposes for his people is to connect us to something far greater than ourselves. God wants us to know that when we follow him, our lives always mean more than we think they do. Naomi had no idea in the land of Moab that God was making her the ancestor of the Messiah. For the Christian there is always a connection between ordinary events of life and the stupendous work of God in history.
Everything we do in obedience to God, no matter how small, is significant. It is part of a cosmic mosaic that God is painting to display the greatness of his powers and kingdom to the world and to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places (Ephesians 3:10). A deep satisfaction of the Christian life is that we are not given over to trifles. Serving a widowed mother in law, gleaning in a field, falling in love, having a baby—for the Christian these things are connected to eternity. They are part of something so much bigger than they seem" (p. 121). John Piper (book on Ruth)
I read this quote (on Girltalk Blog) a few days ago...and I can't help but keep reading it! The part that especially stuck out to me was "we are not given over to trifles....they are part of something so much bigger than they seem." I looked up the word "trifle" for an accurate definition: to piddle: waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently.
Do I believe that I can waste my time and spend time idly or inefficiently...you bet! God's Word even encourages me in Ephesians 5:15 "to be careful how we walk, not as unwise but as wise making the most use of your time because the days are evil." And I Thess. 5:14 says that we are to "admonish the idle". But I also know that much of my life is made up of days that I often feel are full of "trifles"...but they aren't. Things that seem "piddly" or a waste of time...or even inefficient when it is not going how I planned or what seemed like the best use of my time.
It was a precious reminder that "those things"....cleaning, dishes, laundry, breaking up an argument and then trying to figure out what in the world happened in the first place!, making meals, playing a game with my kids...what I would sometimes call "trifles" are actually "connected to eternity".
I need to keep having my mind renewed with truths like these...need to keep putting on my "eternal glasses" and seeing beyond the "here and now"...need to keep remembering that Jesus included eating, drinking and WHATEVER else I do as part of how I glorify God...and then I need to REJOICE! This day, everyday, is the day that the Lord has made and all that fills it is intended for my good and HIS glory!
PS...I know that if you were to read my blog, this "topic" seems to be a reoccurring one...but, truth is, I am in a season of life where this is something that I am needing to preach to myself all the time and this blog is simply an overflow of what the Lord is doing in this "jar of clay"! Hope you don't mind seeing the "same scenery" now and again!:)
Everything we do in obedience to God, no matter how small, is significant. It is part of a cosmic mosaic that God is painting to display the greatness of his powers and kingdom to the world and to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places (Ephesians 3:10). A deep satisfaction of the Christian life is that we are not given over to trifles. Serving a widowed mother in law, gleaning in a field, falling in love, having a baby—for the Christian these things are connected to eternity. They are part of something so much bigger than they seem" (p. 121). John Piper (book on Ruth)
I read this quote (on Girltalk Blog) a few days ago...and I can't help but keep reading it! The part that especially stuck out to me was "we are not given over to trifles....they are part of something so much bigger than they seem." I looked up the word "trifle" for an accurate definition: to piddle: waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently.
Do I believe that I can waste my time and spend time idly or inefficiently...you bet! God's Word even encourages me in Ephesians 5:15 "to be careful how we walk, not as unwise but as wise making the most use of your time because the days are evil." And I Thess. 5:14 says that we are to "admonish the idle". But I also know that much of my life is made up of days that I often feel are full of "trifles"...but they aren't. Things that seem "piddly" or a waste of time...or even inefficient when it is not going how I planned or what seemed like the best use of my time.
It was a precious reminder that "those things"....cleaning, dishes, laundry, breaking up an argument and then trying to figure out what in the world happened in the first place!, making meals, playing a game with my kids...what I would sometimes call "trifles" are actually "connected to eternity".
I need to keep having my mind renewed with truths like these...need to keep putting on my "eternal glasses" and seeing beyond the "here and now"...need to keep remembering that Jesus included eating, drinking and WHATEVER else I do as part of how I glorify God...and then I need to REJOICE! This day, everyday, is the day that the Lord has made and all that fills it is intended for my good and HIS glory!
PS...I know that if you were to read my blog, this "topic" seems to be a reoccurring one...but, truth is, I am in a season of life where this is something that I am needing to preach to myself all the time and this blog is simply an overflow of what the Lord is doing in this "jar of clay"! Hope you don't mind seeing the "same scenery" now and again!:)
Comments
We are SO in the same boat, sistah'!!---and I loved reading the John Piper quote. I may have to come back to this post and read it a couple more times in the week ahead. Seriously! That was a good reminder and great encouragement (I am reading your post as I just finished cleaning up the kitchen for the third time today...and as I was unloading the dishwasher for the SECOND time, I was thinking [with a negative tone in my heart] "Didn't I just DO this??...)
And then MY preaching came to me, "Colossians 3:23-24--Whatever you do, work at it w/ all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men, since you KNOW you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving!"
thanks again for sharing, Kristin!