A couple of weeks ago, I had a dream. In my dream, I was given a gift package. This package contained many (and I mean MANY) envelopes of different sizes. On each envelope was an explanation of when to use it. One envelope read "Change found in the car". Another one said "Change for a rainy day". There were little ones to put in the bathroom, ones to put in my room, one for my car, and so on. There were even 5 little ones for my children. There were also a couple of gift bags in the gift package. There were only 3, and they were very beautiful and unique, with many colors and ribbons.
I share this dream because I believe the Lord gave it to me to reveal the wisdom of the "small things". When we see penny's in our car, or in the street, we overlook them and don't take the time to pick them up, because we consider them as worthless. However, the truth is that they do have worth. If you save 100 pennies, you can buy a pop and some candy. It adds up. And penny's are everywhere! Under the couch, in the cushions of your car, behind the stove... the most random places.
We all love when the Lord speaks so clearly to us, and we get the tingles when we worship and pray. But then there comes a season, days, weeks, and even longer periods of time where we don't feel as much or see fruit of our labors. We pray, but we don't get a response. We read the word, but it feels only like a children's story that doesn't stir life and fire in our hearts. And we wonder if our pursuit is all in vain.
The Lord has been showing me how precious these seasons are to him. The season where he gives us the opportunity to believe his promises when we don't see him. We are given the opportunity to be blessed-
"BLESSED are those who have not seen and YET BELIEVE" Jn. 20:29
"Each choice he records; each glance He remembers. And one very real day in our future, He will open up the book of remembrance and remind us of each one. He will say, 'Do you remember this time? You were so discouraged, so disheartened, so desperate. Yet you chose ONCE AGAIN to believe in Me and receive My love. You said, 'Yes,' to Me though you could neither FEEL nor SEE me." -Deep unto Deep
The father who sees in secret will reward us OPenly!!!
Galatians 6:8 "Soon we shall reap a harvest for if we sow in the Spirit, SURELY we will reap of the Spirit"
It's like the Lord has this little piggy bank, and we "sow" into it and fill it up by offering up worship, by reading the word, by loving others, by selflessly ministering to the broken and the oppressed, by coming back to the secret place time and time again, when we do and do not feel like it. Penny by penny, prayer by prayer, minute by minute, we are sowing into the spirit. And even though we can't see it getting stored up, the Lord is remembering every time we say "yes" to more of him and "no" to the flesh and the desires that so quickly fade away. We entrust our time, affections, money, and talents to the Lord, saying "no" to cashing in for the immediate worldly lustful pleasures, in hope that sowing daily to the Spirit will, in the end, result in fruit that is eternal.
The Lord deems our little "yes" as wise and worth much. The "yes's" add up. And he doesn't forget one of them. I will reap a harvest for every little choice I made to love him, and what was done in the Secret Place, He will reward me in the open, before all men.
Oh Lord, you are a God of seeing! (Gen. 16:13)
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