Month: January 2023

The God of Little Things

God is great and it is easy to think that he is not concerned with details. The Scriptures do not portray God as being unconcerned with details. Nowhere is this more evident than in the story of the third post- resurrection appearance of Jesus to His disciples.

It was getting toward evening and Peter decided to go fishing. The other disciples joined him. In the dawn of early morning, as the disciples were about 100 yards from shore, they saw a stranger on the banks of the Galilee. He shouted to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” (John 21:5). When they said they did not, He gave them instructions about where to fish.

Following his instructions, they caught so many fish one would think the nets would break. They came to the shore and ate with him. That is the quick summary of the story in John 21. A closer reading will reveal that God takes care of the little details in life.

When he told them where to fish, they caught 153 fish – large fish. (21:11).

When the disciples got to the shore, they found that Jesus had cooked breakfast for them. He had a fire of burning coal, some fish and some bread. (21:9).

Jesus served the bread and fish. (21:13). He didn’t just say, “There it is guys, help yourself.”

Several things about this story are amazing:

(1) Upon seeing the risen Lord, someone still counted the fish,

(2) Jesus brought bread for the disciples,

(3) Jesus caught fish before they even saw him,

(4) Jesus cooked breakfast and then served the breakfast.

Life is about the little details. Those who will not pay attention to the little details will have a hectic life. They will constantly feel like the wheels are coming off or life is unraveling before their eyes.

Someone has to make the fire.
Someone has to count the fish.
Someone has to serve the bread.
Someone has to do the little things.

Mountains are made of little stones. Miles are covered by little steps. Love is show with little acts. Successful lives are built on little things.

If God takes care of the little things, then surely we must do the same.

Lonnie Davis

For 12 years, King Saul hunted David like he was an animal. David lived in caves, hid in mountains, and even lived with his old enemy, the Philistines. It happened that King Saul went into a cave where David was hiding. Finally, David had the opportunity to kill Saul and end the reign of terror. Seeing the king asleep, David took out his knife and but instead of killing Saul, he merely cut off a piece of his robe. Saul never even knew it happened. When Saul left the cave, David showed him the cutting and shouted to him, “May the Lord Judge between you and me.” (1 Sam 24:12).

In modern language David effectively said, “Saul, I don’t understand why you are trying to kill me, but I will not raise my hand against you. I will let the Lord handle all of this.”

It is a rare person who can truly agree to disagree and leave everything in God’s hands. We all want all want relief. We all want justice. We all want our own way.

We can be like the little boy who came home from school and told his mother that the bully in class had hit him and that tomorrow he was going to hit him back. His mother told him that vengeance belongs to the Lord and he needs to let God handle it. Little Johnny replied, “Okay, I will give him until Friday.”

Sometimes you have to agree to disagree, but in so doing, you must not be spiteful or hateful. Sometimes you have to let the other person be who they are. You have to say, “May the Lord judge between you and me.”

When David did that, he showed himself to be the bigger man. Sometimes you just have to be the bigger person and let God handle things.

Lonnie Davis

It was Olympic time and I love watching the great athletes. My then six-year-old granddaughter and I were watching the female gymnasts. As we watched a tiny girl do a big tumbling run, I tried to be clever and told her, “I can’t do that.” Instantly she responded, “I know, cause you’re too old.” I just said, “Yes, I know.”

“Too old was just an excuse,” but I used it. Even if I were twenty I could not have done those things, but I needed an excuse. Excuses are a part of the human fiber. Even the great men and women use excuses.

Moses is a great example of this. If this were true of Moses, then certainly it is true for me and you.

Moses spent his first forty years living in a palace. He spent the next forty years working as a shepherd. At eighty he had lived a full and rich life, but just when he may have been looking toward the golden years, God had another plan for Moses.

God’s Plan

From a burning bush God called Moses to go tell the Pharaoh to let God’s people go. It was then that Moses started with his excuses. 

Moses’ Five Excuses

• First there was, “Who me?” (Ex. 3:11).
• Next was “Who are You?” (Ex. 3:13).
• The next one is the real one, “What if I fail?”   Here are his exact words, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?” (Ex. 4:1).
• Then came, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” (Ex. 4:10). Of course the real meaning of this is Moses’ fear of failure.
• Finally he said, “Just send someone else.” (Ex. 4:13)

God’s Answer to Moses’ Excuses

God responds to this excuse by telling Moses that it was not about him. It was about God.

God says, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”  (Ex 4:11-12).

Moses failed to understand that what God called on him to do, God would help him do.

This is the great lesson that we all need to understand. We all make excuses and we all have fear of failure, but we only need to know what God wants us to do.

What God wants us to do, we can do. He will see to it.

Do not ask, “Can I accomplish this?” Ask only, “Does God want me to do this?” When we attempt the things that God wills for us, we will succeed. It is not about us. It is about Him.

Lonnie Davis