Some days we each need the reminder that all we do in this life truly does matter. And my reading the other day brought just that reminder.
The Lord instructed Samuel to start looking for a new king. Saul had been rejected by God as king and it was time for his throne to be filled, a daunting task for certain.
God specifically tells Samuel exactly where he will be able to find God’s man for this position:
“Go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.” (1 Samuel 16:1, NLT)
Jesse parades each of his sons before Samuel, only to be told that none of these were who the Lord had chosen. Until David was brought in from the fields.
It was a day much the same as any day. David was doing what he always had done – gotten up, maybe packed his lunch, and then went to work in the fields tending his father’s sheep. He could not have known the day would take a turn, forever changing his life and impacting others for all time.
And that is each of us.
We may be mothering our children, be in dishwater up to our elbows, have mounds of laundry, be walking the dog, or sitting at our desk at work and suddenly the Lord can change the course of your day. You might be called or led of God to do something for Him.
Or maybe the mundane is more important to God than meets the eye.
As I sit here typing to each of you two thoughts hit me:
- Jesse’s calling was to parent the next king.
- David’s calling was to be a shepherd, a lowly occupation in his day. He was the least likely of his brother. Yet his occupation of a shepherd was preparation for the next task God had for him – to shepherd His people.
Both did their “jobs” well.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
We may never know fully all God has planned for us. Sometimes we remain hidden and out of view for a while. But each part of our life is preparation for the next thing He has for us.
May we be faithful in all things.
The mundane may be the most sacred act we do.
Today I am joining … Thought Provoking Thursday and Grace Moments and #ChasingCommunity and Heart Encouragement Thursday and Tune In Thursday .
Amen, Joanne! Beautiful encouragment here! No matter what we do, we ought to do it to the glory of God! Blessings!
Thanks Liz. The littlest thing we do can often be the most overlooked and important. Going to be doing the little thing today 🙂
Yes, mundane AND important!
I’m singing the truth of Colossians 3:23 and 24 along with you!
“And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best.” (The MSG) Yes and Amen, Michelle!
Great encouragement to be faithful in the day-to-day of our lives. I will spend today parenting my three children with this thought in mind. Thanks for sharing on #heartencouragment!
It is so true. We must approach the day committed to remember it all matters today.
This is such encouragement that God is working in all that we do, even the little things. I love how this challenges us to have an eternal perspective on the things we often consider mundane!
I don’t want to keep looking off into the distance for the next “big” thing and miss out on the “little” thing that is right in front of me. Realizing more and more that this “little 4YO” will soon be big 🙂
What a great reminder!
Much appreciated, Debbie!
Thanks for this reminder, needed today!
I needed it too 🙂
Ooh, the sacred mundane — so true, Joanne. Thanks for the reminder to get up and do this day’s work. God’s faithful to create much from little. 🙂 Thanks for sharing with #ChasingCommunity today, Joanne. ((Hug))
It certainly puts many of the parts of my day into perspective. May I remember that it all may be very important one day!
Loved your thought that the mundane means more to God than we might expect. I can just see David heading out to the fields with NO IDEA what the day would hold.
Ginger, it’s amazing to think about, isn’t it? I wondered if David had not taken good care of those sheep, if God would have entrusted His people to David. Everything we do may be preparatory. Happy Monday!
“Maybe the mundane is more important to God than meets the eye!” Whoa – such a stop and ponder moment right there -(Totally love your graphic too by the way). Joanne, there were so many great points here, but when I got to that part, I thought, how many times have I despised the mundane in my life and yet, it was and is important to God. I even know “not to despise the day of small beginnings” but often times our flesh wants more. I really appreciate your thoughts today and I also thank you for joining me at my brand new link up #TuneInThursday it is an honor to have you share there…. I hope to see you again next week and many more to come.
I so appreciated your comments, Debbie. And on that graphic … yeah, my admission of the “mundane” I most dislike – laundry and ironing 🙂 I look forward to joining you again!
Joanne,
I am reminded as I read your words of the profound place a mother holds in the life of her children. Tomorrow I will be sitting with friends as we say goodbye to a dear friend who is now resting with Jesus and I am overwhelmed with the truth of your words. We do not know what is in our future, only God does, but we can make great use of the time we have now…the place we serve today and serve HIM first and love others because we love Him.
Thank you for reminding me of the power of serving in the glorious mundane.
Love,
Dawn