My young childhood is filled with many, many memories. Despite being a target for being picked on or bullied some in school, most of the fond memories of childhood occurred while living or visiting somewhere in Missouri. Last night I shared a memory of what I will call story time in second grade when Mrs. Feiht brought out a book about a bear. The book was meant to be read by or read to small children with events that would interest little children. So, the book began—as best as I can remember, unfortunately I do not remember the title or book series—with a bear and him waking up to then get ready for things that morning. As the school year went on and our (us students) vocabulary and reading abilities grew, the stories got more involved, detailed, and longer. It was a wonderful time and my mind constantly remembers the very early reading times and this bear (and his early friends).
Not too long after praying yesterday morning I really felt compelled to just be grateful. And I did thank God for a short and immediate list of things only because other things were fighting for my attention. But throughout the day I just kept being thankful to God. Did God provide and move yesterday? Yes, He did. And I am grateful for what He did do yesterday throughout the day. But my gratitude went beyond yesterday including money that came in or work that I worked or as if some out of the way blessing came into my life. I was just simply grateful to God because He is God and just wanted to thank Him for Him just being Him. As the day continued this gratitude continued to ebb and flow in my life like gentle waves rising and falling on the shore, a constant presence.
Wishing to intentionally lift a question asked (in the New King James Version and Bible in Basic English but a statement in many other Bible translations) and taking it out of context of the rest of the chapter and the meaning behind this question/statement, I wish use this partial verse to say the following. Zechariah 4:10 NKJV asks, “For who has despised the day of small things?” The New Living Translation says, “Do not despise these small beginnings…” The Bible in Basic English Translation asks, “For who has had a poor opinion of the day of small things?” Often we focus or consider solely foundational or early steps either in our walk with God or starting a business or a new relationship, etc. And it is very valid and true. We ought to consider it and be reminded where we started. I remember the evening when I first gave my life to Christ January 17, 1997 and the very first person I told after I gave my life to Christ. I remember not knowing anything about the Bible, heaven, hell, just everything. And with pride we can look back and think or say to ourselves, how far I have grown or how much I have seen/done since then. And I am not saying for us to be people who dwell in the past, but sometimes it is good to revisit our roots. When visiting our roots sometimes we can learn something new. This also allows opportunity for the Holy Spirit to fix something that was never addressed until we go back to the basics or back to the foundation to discover the crack or flaw that was always there: a bad character trait, an attitude, a prejudice, rejection issue (which I highly recommend Pastor Greg Mitchell’s book titled Uprooting Rejection), whatever it may be.
But I also wish to lay down another matter to address and is the heart as to what the Lord led me to write about. Many years ago, my life was completely turned upside down. Without realizing it, I discovered who were my true friends and who quickly distanced themselves out of my life (and my family’s life) …including people in the church. I do not share this as if there is any bitterness or resentment or anything negative about anyone. It just simply happened but I thank God that it did happen because I never would have had the following moment before and I hope I will never lose it. It was in that time where it was really God, me, and my family (who, for a time, were living in another city) and where all I had was God and where these writings first began. Just last night (as I have done a few times from time to time since then those early days) I read the very first writing where all this began (February 8, 2009). And sometimes it isn’t the trip down memory lane that we need to recall and remember, but how intimate that relationship with God was. How fresh and tangible His presence is. Almost as if in a room where all kinds of action or chaos is going on but everyone is faded to black and two people walk across the room toward each other with a spotlight illuminating their path together. There are times—for those who truly allow God to be that close and involved—where it seems that God is really, really present and close. I’m not talking about the sermon we just preached or the victory of an event. I am talking about where His presence is there where we are the humble student and we are starting from the beginning regardless of how long saved or how much we know or how much we’ve done for the Lord. I am talking about His presence is so close you could reach out to literally touch His hand or feel the warmth of His arm close to your arm or hear Him breathing just like a breathing of loving spouse or a dear and close friend or family member.
And sometimes this is what we often despise or move past are those close and tender moments (and I am talking more specifically with Jesus). Many of us can recall times when our parents wanted to teach us or show us something that was interesting to them or they thought would be interesting to us but because of our adolescent or teen-aged angst, we have moved onto what only interests us. And so it may not be a “heavy revy” or a steak-dinner sermon. It may not be the powerful revival services or conferences we attend where every message has us at the altar. But it may be to just know that He is there even if for nothing more than to know He hears our cries from within our hearts and our broken spirit wanting His help or just Him there period. To know that even if all has forsaken us (2 Timothy 4:16 and Matthew 26:56), He is still with us. That even if no one showed up at our birthday party metaphorically speaking, Jesus did and just Him being there made us feel special. And that is all that matters. Woe to us if our life has drifted because we have ballooned our ego or look back over our lives with moments are just footnotes or just an event to then have the words of Christ smash it all down with Him saying (like in Revelation 2:4), “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
When was that moment? What happened? What did God say or do? And maybe we’ve thanked God then, but have we thanked God now for Him being there then and since? To be at that place like Abraham and Jacob had when they arrived back at Bethel and God spoke yet again. May we never despise small beginnings.