It's the "little" things

Psalms 119:38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

Every time I am at a certain grocery store I get very aggravated at the checkout.  No, it isn’t the lines or a slow cashier, but a tic-tac display that sits at an angle OVER the conveyor belt that ushers my purchases towards the register.  That display impedes every item that comes forward.  I have to stand there and pull stuff away from it.  In this culture, people don’t mind standing right on your heels either.  They will watch how much you pay, what you pay with and even watch you punch in your pin number if they can.  So, when I have to stand there and pull stuff away, sometimes I have to reach around people to do so.  My question is:  Why does the store leave it there if it is just a nuisance?  Isn’t there somewhere else it can be put?  Like on the opposite side? 

Little things can get in the way of our day to day regular lives and they also can get in the way of our spiritual lives. 

Let me ask you a question.  Do you want to be “devoted” to the Lord?  We talk about having our morning “devotions”, but have you ever thought about what that means? 

As my husband was preaching one night on temptation, I heard him use the word devoto in Portuguese.  It made me wonder if the word came from giving promises and if it was the same in English.  So here is what Webster’s defined devote as:

1. To appropriate by vow; to set apart or dedicate by a solemn act; to consecrate.

Just like in a marriage when a couple makes their vows.  A wife vows her husband to devote herself to him.  They are separated from being single and alone TO being partners in everything.  A vow is not a little thing, but little things will keep us from a vow!

So, when I ask if you want to be devoted to the Lord, I am asking you, do you want to set yourself aside for Him?  Do you want to consecrate YOUR life for God?  If your answer is yes, then there are probably some “little things” you need to remove or pay attention to. 

No two people are alike, and since I am not your personal judge, I won’t even begin to make a list of things to care for, that lies between you and the Lord.  I know in my life there are things I have to watch and confess and care for daily, if not, they “get in the way” of my relationship with God.  But in order for me to care for them, I have to get alone with God and that means being determined that nothing will stop me from my time with Him in the mornings.  As we make this journey to get to know God better, let’s be consistent with that time alone with Him.  It is in those moments we can learn from His Word and pour out our hearts to Him and let His Spirit shine the convicting light on the “little things” we are allowing to come between our soul and the Saviour.

Do you have a tic tac display impeding you somewhere in your life?  Are you constantly dealing with it?  Why not make the determined act of removing it?  Whatever it is, ask God to help you help yourself.  He will.  Ask Him to stablish His Word in you like the Psalmist did.  Ask Him to remove the dross so your life can be pure before man and Him. 

When we set ourselves aside for God, we are allowing Him full control.  We are telling Him, "God, I am yours, you can utterly destroy me for your glory."  That is a HUGE thing to do and I wouldn't do it if you don't want Him to take you at your word, your promise. This isn't something for you to compare yourself with someone else either.  It is for you to determine that you will be a better servant to God tomorrow than you were today.   And that means caring for the little things.  May we all have the courage to do what needs to be done!

Until next time, Lord willing

Sheri