Noticing the Little Things

Noticing the Little Things
10-14-08
Today at work I thought of my husband, as many times I do. “I love him” I said in my heart, and a smile came across my face. “It’s been 16 years and I’m not tired of him,” I realized. I found myself wondering then, what keeps love alive. I went back to working and forgot about my thoughts.
When I went home that afternoon I remembered something totally unrelated. A blue can of paint. My niece had given it to us just when I needed to paint the room my husband Dave had put a new window in. The room was blue, and the room she had painted in her house was also blue. The remarkable thing was that this can had the same color of blue as our room. It was a perfect match. I had seen this can of paint as a blessing from the Lord and treasured the memory.
“You notice the little things” the Lord broke in my thoughts. “That’s what keeps love alive.” Love between men and women, and love between us and our God becomes more exciting when we notice the little things done for us. They are thoughts in action.
The Lord then reminded me of times when Dave and I were excited at what the Lord was doing in our lives, and our expectations for Him to do greater things grew. In fact, we thought the little things were meant to be stepping stones for our faith, and that bigger things were a natural progression for us. But as time went on, we began to lose appreciation for the things God did, because they were not enough. Trials and great afflictions came into our lives and we wondered where the big things were. Yet God came through always and never let us fail in all that He asked us to do.
The Lord then brought to my mind the account of Jerusalem portrayed as a child He had found in an open field (see Ez 16). He had washed and cherished her, then entered into a covenant with her, giving her fine linen and jewels. And she became beautiful. Yet it wasn’t enough for her, and she prostituted herself with the other nations. This prophecy was an allegory of how God was not enough for His own people, in their eyes. They wanted more. They wanted a bigger prize and were not thankful for all He had done for them, nor the great destiny He had called them into. They had forgotten . . . forgotten the wonderful God who had loved them.
Many marriages fail because people “fall out of love” with each other. What used to be appreciated and treasured becomes “not enough.” This happens in our relationship with God also. If we want God to do bigger things than He has done before we lose our appreciation of Him in the face of our demands for His performance. This would take the zip out of any relationship! Thankfulness, appreciation, noticing the little things . . . that’s what keeps love alive. Our marriages, and our walk with God will always be exciting when we notice the little things and do not count them as such. A little thing from the hand of God is a great thing in the heart of a man who loves him. Amen.