Finding God in Life's Small Moments

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we explore the profound truth that God is present in the small and seemingly insignificant moments of our lives. The Incarnation itself is a testament to this, as God, who is greater than the universe, chose to manifest in the form of a small baby. This divine presence is not limited to grandiose events but is found in the ordinary and unexpected places. Our community, bound by shared experiences of pain and inadequacy, exemplifies how God works through small connections to create meaningful bonds.

Consider the staggering number of ants on Earth—approximately two million per person. This illustrates the vastness of God's creation and His intimate knowledge of each part of it. Just as God knows each of the 200 sextillion stars by name, He knows and cares for each of us individually. This understanding should inspire both urgency and confidence in our faith journey. We are called to share the message of God's love with urgency, knowing that every person is made in His image. Yet, we also rest in the confidence that God's plan does not solely depend on us but on His divine wisdom.

The invitation is to find God in the present moment, as Jean-Pierre de Caussade describes in "The Sacrament of the Present Moment." Each moment is an opportunity to encounter God and fulfill the tasks He has appointed for us. This perspective transforms ordinary moments into sacraments, where the divine shines through the mundane. Whether in conversation, work, or rest, God is present, and we are called to give our best to these small moments.

Ultimately, our lives are a series of small moments that, when lived with devotion and awareness of God's presence, become extraordinary. We are encouraged to offer our best thoughts, dreams, intentions, prayers, and love to these moments, trusting that God will use them in ways beyond our understanding.

Key Takeaways:

1. God in the Small: The Incarnation teaches us that God is present in the small and unexpected. Just as He became a small baby, He is found in the ordinary moments of our lives. This challenges us to seek Him in the mundane and recognize His presence in every aspect of our existence. [00:33]

2. Vastness of Creation: The sheer number of ants and stars reminds us of the vastness of God's creation and His intimate knowledge of each part. This understanding should inspire us to trust in God's plan and His care for each of us individually. [02:09]

3. Urgency and Confidence: As followers of Jesus, we are called to share God's love with urgency, knowing that every person is made in His image. At the same time, we can have confidence that God's plan does not depend solely on us but on His divine wisdom. [05:16]

4. Sacrament of the Present Moment: Each moment is an opportunity to encounter God and fulfill the tasks He has appointed for us. By living with awareness and devotion, we transform ordinary moments into sacraments where the divine shines through. [06:04]

5. Offering Our Best: We are encouraged to give our best thoughts, dreams, intentions, prayers, and love to the small moments of our lives. Trusting that God will use them in ways beyond our understanding, we can live with purpose and devotion. [10:54]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:33] - God in Small Things
- [00:59] - Community and Connection
- [01:38] - The Ants Analogy
- [02:23] - God's Creation and Care
- [03:23] - The Vastness of the Universe
- [04:31] - God's Intimate Knowledge
- [05:01] - Decline in Christian Identity
- [05:16] - Urgency and Confidence in Faith
- [05:51] - Finding God in Small Moments
- [06:04] - Sacrament of the Present Moment
- [07:19] - Tasks Appointed by God
- [08:07] - The Ordinary Made Holy
- [09:15] - Faith and God's Purpose
- [10:38] - Devotion to Small Moments

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Psalm 147:4-5 - "He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit."
2. Romans 8:22 - "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time."
3. Matthew 25:40 - "The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"

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Observation Questions:

1. According to the sermon, how does the Incarnation demonstrate God's presence in small and unexpected places? [00:33]

2. What analogy is used in the sermon to illustrate the vastness of God's creation and His intimate knowledge of it? [01:38]

3. How does the sermon describe the relationship between urgency and confidence in sharing God's love? [05:16]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the significance of ordinary moments in our lives? [06:04]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Psalm 147:4-5 help us understand God's intimate knowledge and care for His creation, as discussed in the sermon? [03:23]

2. In what ways does the concept of the "sacrament of the present moment" challenge our usual perception of daily life? [06:04]

3. How might the analogy of ants and stars in the sermon deepen our understanding of God's vastness and personal care? [02:09]

4. What does the sermon imply about the role of community in experiencing God's presence in small moments? [00:59]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a recent small moment in your life. How might you have experienced God's presence in that moment if you had been more aware? [06:04]

2. The sermon encourages us to offer our best in small moments. What is one small moment in your daily routine where you can intentionally give your best thoughts, prayers, or actions? [10:54]

3. Consider the urgency and confidence discussed in the sermon. How can you balance these two aspects in your personal faith journey and interactions with others? [05:16]

4. How can you cultivate a mindset that sees ordinary moments as opportunities to encounter God, as suggested by the sermon? [06:04]

5. Think of a time when you felt inadequate or in pain. How did you experience community support, and how might that have been an example of God working through small connections? [01:12]

6. The sermon mentions the decline in Christian identity. How can you contribute to sharing God's love in your community, despite this trend? [05:01]

7. Identify one person in your life who might feel insignificant or overlooked. What is one practical way you can show them God's love this week, inspired by the message of finding God in small things? [10:03]

Devotional

Day 1: Discovering God in the Ordinary
In the vastness of the universe, God chose to manifest in the form of a small baby, illustrating that His presence is not confined to grand events but is found in the ordinary and unexpected moments of our lives. This profound truth challenges us to seek God in the mundane aspects of our existence, recognizing that He is present in every detail. By embracing this perspective, we can transform our daily experiences into opportunities to encounter the divine. [00:33]

"For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.'" (Isaiah 57:15, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a routine task you often overlook. How can you invite God into this moment today and recognize His presence in it?


Day 2: Embracing the Vastness of God's Creation
The staggering number of ants and stars serves as a reminder of the vastness of God's creation and His intimate knowledge of each part. This understanding should inspire us to trust in God's plan and His care for each of us individually. Just as He knows each star by name, He knows and cares for us, encouraging us to rest in His divine wisdom and love. [02:09]

"He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure." (Psalm 147:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a moment when you felt insignificant. How does knowing that God knows and cares for you personally change your perspective on that experience?


Day 3: Urgency and Confidence in Sharing God's Love
As followers of Jesus, we are called to share God's love with urgency, knowing that every person is made in His image. At the same time, we can have confidence that God's plan does not depend solely on us but on His divine wisdom. This dual call to urgency and confidence empowers us to act with purpose while trusting in God's overarching plan. [05:16]

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one person in your life who needs to hear about God's love. What is one step you can take today to share this message with them?


Day 4: The Sacrament of the Present Moment
Each moment is an opportunity to encounter God and fulfill the tasks He has appointed for us. By living with awareness and devotion, we transform ordinary moments into sacraments where the divine shines through. This perspective invites us to see every moment as sacred, filled with potential for divine encounter and purpose. [06:04]

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on your day so far. How can you approach the next moment with a renewed sense of awareness and devotion to God's presence?


Day 5: Offering Our Best in Small Moments
We are encouraged to give our best thoughts, dreams, intentions, prayers, and love to the small moments of our lives. Trusting that God will use them in ways beyond our understanding, we can live with purpose and devotion. This call to offer our best in the seemingly insignificant moments of life transforms them into opportunities for divine impact. [10:54]

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: What is one small task or interaction you have today where you can intentionally offer your best effort and attitude, trusting God to use it for His purposes?

Quotes

"Part of the core of the Christian faith is the idea of the Incarnation that somehow God who is far greater than the entire universe made himself so small that he could compress his greatness into a little baby, and we find him not just in the Great and the large of the grandiose where they were expecting to, we find him in small things in unexpected places." [00:00:27]

"I want to let you know how grateful I am for this community. I was recently in Kansas at Friends University with Jim Smith and a group of folks there, and numbers of you were there. It's always very moving to me. It will be wonderful to hear from anybody. I watch your videos sometimes, but then there'll be certain people that come up and we'll say I'm part of the Fellowship of the withered hand, and then I know there's somebody else who knows what it is to experience pain, to celebrate personal inadequacy, and we find a kind of common ground." [00:00:53]

"Just as we think together about God, we were maybe count we want our lives to have an impact, but when we look at the scale of things, obviously that can never happen if it doesn't happen with God. Sorry, I'm dropping stuff. So there's that wonderful line in Orthodoxy from GK Chesterton when he talks about how God Has the strength of Vitality, the capacity to exult him and Army and Chesterman says maybe the reason there are so many daisies isn't automatic necessity maybe God makes each one separately but has never tired of making them." [00:02:35]

"God cares for all of his creation, all the creation is groaning we are told because it's waiting for its Liberation that will come when the sons of God are revealed. God has something in plan for his creation, and then when I was thinking about the greatness of God I was thinking about this line this is from Psalm 147 the psalmist says how good it is to sing praises to our God he determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name great is our Lord and mighty in power his understanding has no limit." [00:03:04]

"And God made every one of them it is not taxing for him and God knows each one by name two hundred sextillion Stars I think that is that's way more than ants so then God can create every single ant separately and know each one by name and love them not just as a mass the biomass of ants amazingly enough is more than that of wild mammals and birds combined but every one of us known by God and delighted and cared for by God and then you and me there is no place there is not the smallest place where God is not present and God is not concerned." [00:04:10]

"And I think there ought to be a response for those of us who follow Jesus that combines both a deep sense of urgency every human being needs to know that they're made in God's image and loved by God and it deserves the very best we have to give to it our best efforts and our best thoughts and our best love and our best servanthood great urgency and at the same time a great confidence that God knows what he is doing and that his project ultimately does not depend on us but upon him." [00:05:11]

"So the invitation today is find him in the small moments, which doesn't mean that they don't matter or that you can be lacks bring your best to those small moments we're learning from the Masters about making our lives count one of the classic books about this is called the sacrament of the Present Moment by Jean-Pierre de quesad, and he talks about how God speaks to us today as he spoke to our forefathers and days gone by." [00:05:48]

"Before he writes there were spiritual directors or methods of Direction spiritual life then was a matter of a lot of Simplicity he says when people were more direct and unsophisticated all they knew was that each moment brought its appointed task Faithfully to be accomplished that's a staggering thought each moment brings its appointed task Faithfully to be accomplished that was enough for the spiritually minded in those days all their attention was focused on the present minute by minute." [00:06:18]

"Like the hand of a clock that marks the minutes of an hour covering the distance along which it has to travel constantly prompted by Divine impulsion they found themselves imperceptibly turned towards the next taxed tax task that God had ready for them at each hour of the day so right now this is your task to find God In This Moment in these words and then another moment will come and you will talk with somebody or you will turn on your computer or you will get into your car or you will care for a child and you will find God there and God will have a task for you." [00:06:54]

"Sacrament is something that's quite ordinary bread wine that becomes a vehicle for the extraordinary Tony campolo used to say that the Catholics believe that when we received the sacrament that by a miracle the bread becomes his body and the wine becomes his blood the reformed tradition Presbyterian and so they believe that the bread's still bread the wine still wine but somehow Jesus comes shining through." [00:07:58]

"The present moment this ordinary time your waking sleeping eating working playing laughing crying reading learning talking moment is a sacrament it is made Holy by the presence of God but you will miss it if you don't look for it in little ways dick Assad writes what is seen in the lives of those who follow Christ the lives of those in scripture what is seen is similar to what happens to the rest of humankind but what is unseen that which Faith discovers and unravels is nothing less than God fulfilling his mighty purpose that is can be happening in your life that's what makes a life count." [00:08:47]

"You matter immensely to God enough for him to communicate himself to you through the person of Jesus Through scripture through friends through creation through these words right now you can make this moment a Sacrament something ordinary that is filled with the extraordinary with the Divine and then the next moment and then the next moment and then the next moment that's the goal find God find God in small things give your absolute best be devoted your best thoughts your best dreaming your best intentions your best prayer your best energy your best rest your best love to small moments and you have no idea how God will use them." [00:10:13]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?