Like elves darting through a magical forest, I keep catching glimpses and passing shadows that alert me to details I’d long overlooked or somehow missed. I keep finding myself asking, “How have I never seen that before?”
Diving in the Gospel of Matthew this week during the #LentChallenge has alerted me to the precision of God embedded in the text. From the opening genealogy, we discover that exile and captivity have always been part of the great big story of God. Yet these have never stood in the way of God’s powerful work of redemption and renewal. If anything, they’ve spurred it on.
But as I read I was struck by the truth that we are part of something so great. God has been at work for a very long time orchestrating and aligning his plan of redemption.
In case no one has reminded you today, you are part of a bigger story.
And you play an important role in that story.
Through the family tree of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1), we see God in the details.
- Fourteen generations from Abraham to David.
- Fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile.
- Fourteen from Babylonian to Christ.
The Gospel of Matthew is crafted in such a way that we might know that God has not fallen asleep at the wheel. Rather He has been at work.
Such precision is seen in the band of scholars known as magi. The sight of a star in the eastern sky signaled his birth. That perfectly placed star launched them into a pilgrimage to worship the Messiah.
I love the way Eugene Peterson captures the moment:
Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time! (Matthew 2:9-10)
Throughout Matthew we see an exactness, the precision of God, appear time and time again. In John the Baptist. In those who needed healing. In the madmen and the pigs. In the storm. In the feeding. In the bottle of perfume. In the arrest. In the death. In the resurrection.
So just how precise is God?
More than any of us realize.
We will all encounter days when we’re tempted to question: Are we in the right place? Have we really arrived at the right time?
In those moments, remember this:
He has you where you are today.
He knows where you will be tomorrow.
God is far more precise than any device can measure. Even the .0001 and .00001 pale in comparison to just how much He knows you and every exact detail of your life.
So find comfort and encouragement. God wants to work redemption in and through you right where you are. [Tweet this]
May you live wide-awake for how God wants to fill you with His grace and use you for His Kingdom today.
***
I want to know what you’re learning during the #LentChallenge. What is Jesus revealing to your heart? What passage or verse is sticking out to you? What questions do you have about the reading?
(If you haven’t joined into the #LentChallenge yet, it’s not too late. There’s plenty of room for you. Download the free reading guide, here. Or sign up for the free reading plan on YouVersion, here).
You are so right Margaret. God puts us where He wants us to me daily. Sometimes the little things that we do go so unnoticed by us. We want to be credited with the “big things”. And in time there might be some big things. But the little things are so valuable to those out there who just need a simple smile, a simple statement of ” Have a blessed and wonderful day”. Or paying for some groceries when you see a mom making choices of what she has to put back, or something as simple as letting the person behind you in the grocery line go first with her 1-3 items when you have a cart full. The response I get from this simple jesture which cost me nothing is beyond what I can put into words. So don’t sit around doing nothing, waiting for those “big” events to come your way. Do those little things that people just do not expect. Your heart will be so happy.
The thing that got me today (because I had to do a little catching up) was in Matt. 22:2-5. The king invited people to a FEAST–a time of celebration and joy. He was going to GIVE everyone rich food and drink. And the people who didn’t go to the party, went to WORK–one to his farm, one to his business. I think this grabbed my heart today, because I too often think I have to WORK at something to get God to like me or other people to like me. But God is inviting me to a life of joy–of accepting His gifts.
Happy birthday Margaret!! From Omaha,NE
Yeah, what you said! I mean there are several places in Matthew I’ve stopped and asked myself, “How in the world did I miss that?” I feel personally, that it’s because when I read it before I didn’t invite God to go before me and ask Him to speak to my heart.
Oh sweet Margaret, how Jesus is gripping my heart. Even in the Geneology that normally I would’ve quickly glossed over! Just like you said, we’ve always been a part of the “big story of God.”
These days are precious Margaret. I’m feasting on His Word like never before. He’s teaching me, and I’m learning SO MUCH! Bless the matchless name of Jesus!
Margaret, it’s a sheer joy to be on this journey with you! Guess what?!!! We DO have the same birthday!!!!!!!! LOVE YOU!!!!! WE’re the same age too! I feel like a spring Chicken!
Love,
ALicia
Thank you for the encouraging examples of how to love people even in the simplest ways!
Thank you sweet Jackie!
Yes- how many times to we pass by the invitation to celebrate and rejoice because we’re too busy? Convicting question to ask yourself! Thanks, Sharla!
Happy birthday to you, too! Thanks sweet, Alicia!
Margaret – I love reading your writings because after having gone through the study, Scouting the Divine, and using the DVDs with that, i can now hear your voice and almost see your facial expressions. I love it. I was at E-Women in Tulsa, and had the privilege of hearing you “live”. I did not know of your current struggle with cancer until then. I have felt your heart since doing Scouting the Divine 2 years ago, and now I am joining you and Leif in prayer as you walk this journey. I know that whatever, come what may, God’s presence will be the richest part of this journey. A scripture that came to mind as you were speaking in Tulsa that the Lord gave to me 3 years ago at this time when I was holding my 96 year old Grandma’s hand as she prepared to enter eternity is Isaiah 49:13. It says, “Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.” In that verse the Lord answered a long time question of mine of, “how, oh Lord, do we truly rejoice IN trial?? I mean, I know, after the fact, when we can look back and see Your plan and Your redemption… I get that! But, how do we rejoice while it is going on? And how do I explain that to others?” Because in that verse I realized the reason we can rejoice in the trial, is that His comfort is right there at that very moment. I just saw that like never before.
Laughing as i post this long comment! I didn’t know I was gonna write all that…..
Hugs to you my dear sister in Christ….
Jill
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