"I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples." John 15:5-8
When my husband and I first got married I realized that being married meant you have someone around watching you basically all the time. He was quick to point out weird habits I had that no one else ever noticed before and vice versa.
It can feel annoying having someone say, "I thought you said you had a lot of work to do?" when you're watching your favorite show on Netflix. But it can also feel really good when you have someone there to notice something that otherwise would have gone unnoticed.
In passing, I told my husband about something I wanted and how it would make my life easier. I saw how other people were using it and I was just like, "that'd be nice."
But it was a small thing, and I had already decided it wasn't significant enough to go out and purchase for myself.
A few days later my husband surprised me with it (so sweet!) and I was shocked because I had already forgotten about the conversation just like I had forgotten about what I had deemed insignificant and unimportant.
I wanted to share this because I think my husband's actions were so like the heart of God. He notices and He cares about the little things. He cares about the things that we have already decided aren't important, and have labeled insignificant.
In the Word we read that whatever we ask for will be listened to and acted upon.
This is often how I feel around my husband. I'll share something as simple, just for the sake of sharing it, and he will not only listen but also do something about it.
Sometimes I forget that this is God's heart towards us.
He is an attentive God. I think He's always listening to us, and always ready to act on our behalf even in the little things.
The only thing is that we forget that He wants to hear from us first. We might be too quick to disqualify what we want, what we need help with, or what we could be asking for. So instead of going to God ready to be heard and to see Him move on our behalf, we just don't pray. We just don't ask.
God sees and knows everything. He is always watching over us. He knows our hearts deepest desires and longings, He knows our biggest hopes and dreams, He knows our greatest fears and our strongest worries.
But I think He also wants to hear about it all from us. He's a relational God.
I wonder if maybe there's something you stopped praying for. Something that you decided wasn't that important or maybe there's something that you never even thought to pray for because it just feels insignificant.
Maybe, you've already decided that it just doesn't matter that much.
Sometimes, I think we are busy talking ourselves out of giving God a chance to move for us.
Whatever that thing is for you, I want to remind you that what feels small or insignificant to you really matters to God. In the Kingdom of God we constantly see how God takes small and seemingly insignificant things and uses them for a huge impact. Jesus even told us the Kingdom of God is like the smallest seed, a mustard seed.
What seems insignificant to us, might not be. The promise we have is that when we have an intimate relationship with God and we are abiding in Him, we are promised an abundant harvest.
He's willing and ready to listen and move, not just in the big things, but in everything.
Journaling Prompts:
-What comes to mind as something that you have decided is unimportant or insignificant?
-Ask God to illuminate how He might want to use that relationship, circumstance, or aspect of your life and write about what it could look like.
-How can you honor God by inviting Him into both small and big things this week?
Action Step:
I love the feeling of being noticed and I know I'm not the only one! Take action to reflect the heart of God in your community by noticing others "small" actions and cheering them on for them.
Prayer:
God thank you for noticing us and being attentive to all of our needs and wants. Thank you for caring to listen and move in the big things and in the little things. Forgive us for calling things insignificant that matter to you. Help us to be faithful in everything, and draw us into a deeper relationship with you as we go to you in prayer in everything this week. Amen.
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