The God of Mud Puddles (and everything else)

Recently, I was reminded that God is in control of both the big and the small things of life.  This reminder does not come from my great understanding of the reasons behind His plan, but from being reminded of His greatness, both in power and wisdom, worked out through His great love.

As much as I need to cling to this assurance in the major difficulties and challenges in life, today’s reminder was that I also need to cling to this assurance in the small and mundane difficulties (and everything in between).  Because though small and mundane challenges are just that--small and mundane--they are also numerous and constitute a majority of the events in my life.  I often think I can handle them on my own--my own strength, my own power, my own wisdom.  And individually, the circumstances do seem manageable on my own.

They are often seemingly small fires that I can put out in my own strength, but the vast number of small fires are wearing and wearying when it is in my own strength that I rely.  At minimum, this can result in my grumbling, and more often than I would like, escalates to feelings of being overwhelmed.

But the small and the big challenges of life both remind me of my need for God--for His strength, for His wisdom, for His comfort, for His love, for His provision.  And I am also reminded that all that I already have (even my “own” strength) comes from Him, all things are from Him, and specifically, all good things are from Him.  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17)

The God who is able to calm a raging sea is able to still a rippling mud puddle (or many rippling mud puddles).  The God who can make the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear is not inhibited by my weaknesses.  The God who created the world out of nothing is quite able to provide for any of my needs, big or little.  He is able in the big, AND He is able in the small.  

The God who orchestrated the redemption of His world and His people at great cost to Himself is able and willing to redeem the minor along with the major of life.  “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)