The Art of the Minute

Raindrops

Snowflakes

Grains of sand

...small things all, but mighty when joined, one to another.

And so it is with our secret battles, one way or another.

We are either taking small steps in one direction or the other, and sometimes both directions in one day.

Amy Carmichael writes in the October 10 reading in Edges of His Ways

...step by step; by little acts of will, little denials of self, little inward victories; by faithfulness in very little things they became what they are....There is no sudden triumph, no spiritual maturity that is the work of a moment. So let us all take courage...

Many rain drops form a torrent; tiny feathery snowflakes can bring a busy city to a grinding halt, and vast deserts are made of many tiny, grains of sand.

There is power in small things when added together. I want to learn to live in minute sized compartments. I can do almost anything for a minute: Yield my will to God for a minute; draw on his strength for a minute; pray for a minute.

Each day is a mix of good choices and bad and we normally just hope that if they were weighed on a scale, it would tip in the direction of the good. But that is just the "natural" way, or the way of the flesh. The way of the spirit is to be conscious moment by moment of the availabality of God's power; his life; to draw on and be lived in and through us. That, I think, is the way to true victory and transformation.

I am working on mastering The Art of the Minute-- the art of, "practicing his presence," as Brother Lawrence did over three hundred years ago; being aware of, and resting and trusting in, his presence.

Ephesians 3:14-21 (New Century Version)
New Century Version (NCV)
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
The Love of Christ

14 So I bow in prayer before the Father15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name.16 I ask the Father in his great glory to give you the power to be strong inwardly through his Spirit.17 I pray that Christ will live in your hearts by faith and that your life will be strong in love and be built on love.18 And I pray that you and all God's holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ's love—how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is.19 Christ's love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with the fullness of God.
20 With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.21 To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen.

Comments

Angcat said…
Yes B.,
Step by little step. Choice by choice...
And often I make the wrong one, the selfish one, yet I am so encouraged by Amy's words.
It's not my job to change, just to listen and follow...
Thank you for this!
10:17 PM
Susan said…
A very timely message! :)
1:31 AM
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