the wake-up

Have you ever been awakened by a sliver of sunshine peeking through your curtains, hitting you directly on your closed eyelids? 

I thought about the Resurrection, today, and wondered what Jesus must have experienced when He was resurrected. The gospel of Matthew records an earthquake and an angel sitting on the stone that had been rolled away. Was it the earthquake that jarred Jesus into consciousness? Did Jesus wake up with a sunbeam shining directly in his eyes after the angel rolled away the stone? Did God whisper in His ear, "Time to wake up!"

As cute as it is to come up with fun ideas for that victorious morning, I don't think Jesus needed to be awakened. He IS the awakening. The light of eternal life probably just exploded out of Jesus' soul. Death could not maintain its hold on Jesus because He IS life. 

What a powerful and entirely amazing God we serve!  Worthy of all of our praise and devotion for eternity. 

details

A couple days ago my 8 year old plucked some tiny flowers from some weeds that were growing in our flower beds. "Mommy, look!" She exclaimed as she ran to me.  She carefully placed the flowers in my hands and smiled, "These are for you!"

I looked at the super tiny flowers and stood amazed at God's attention to detail. It's true that God created a lot of beauty in this world but these flowers are so tiny, that unless you took the time to get up close, you would never appreciate their splendor.  

I placed the flower on a dime, for size reference, and snapped a picture so you can see how itty-bitty they are! 

As I went about my day, I thought about all the details God included in His creation. He could have made things "good enough" but He went the extra mile every time! Everything He does is thoughtful, generous, over-the-top and lavish. What an extraordinary God we serve! 

Then I thought about the things I do and whether I reflect His character in the way I carry out my tasks. I guess I sometimes focus on details but that's usually because I'm particular about doing this a certain way. I'm not exactly detail-oriented out of love for God or for others. I'm just picky. 

Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." 

What a neat thought. In an effort to be more like Jesus, I'm decided to shift my thinking and complete tasks in the name of Jesus. 

When I sat down to play a complicated piano piece, I decided I wouldn't gloss over the complicated section like I always did. I would take the time to study the music, carefully, to honor God, the original Creator of the beauty of music. I wondered if He'd notice and appreciate my attention to His gift of music. 

I struggled with a section of the music for a long time, while my noisy kids came in and out of the room. After a few more minutes of focused study, it suddenly felt like God was the only other person in the room with me and I experienced the music in a new way. I closed my eyes while I carefully executed two challenging measures. Suddenly, I was not only hearing the music but I felt like I could see it too! Notes that had previously rolled into one sound each had their own voice and their own color. It was incredible! I never would have thought that doing everyday tasks for His glory could be so rewarding! 

There is so much joy and satisfaction in this life for those who want to live for Him. How do I get others to understand this?