The Wonder of Small Things

There is a high wind warning again today.  Limbs hurling through the air like javelins, wood gates slamming, birds fluttering and struggling to stay aloft.  It has been this way for days and days, and my spirit senses that it is an over-all picture of the state of the world: blowing and shaking in uncontrollable chaos! On this Shabbat day I feel so deeply grateful for this little 1910-crafted home, so solidly built, so strong and stable.  So my house is a picture of my heart and my life: built on the Rock!  

Passover 2022 has now come and gone.  Although there is tremendous tension, violence, and upheavel in the land of Israel, I thank God that the Israeli Jews were able to gather with their families and remember the ancient story of their deliverance from Egypt by the Mighty hand of God.  We had planned for a very small Passover gathering at our own table and so on the day before I had gone to our small local grocery market to get a few last-minute things.  I guess it was silly of me to think that they would have matzah in our little store - probably not too many Jews here in this mostly German-Lutheran community! But I had a few other items I needed also, so I went, hoping that I could somehow put together what I needed, without driving many miles. 

The store has a small refrigerator with a few flower arrangements.  I wanted lovely flowers for our table, but all that was available was several vases with various colors of roses.  I sighed and chose a vase and then noticed that there was a woman behind a table working on more floral items for Easter. I asked, "Would you be able to add some greenery and maybe a couple of baby's breath stems to these roses?  It's for my Passover table."  She went to great effort to pick through dozens of leafy greens and little white buds until she found what she considered to be worthy and handed them to me.  I thanked her gratefully and asked what the extra charge would be.  "No charge!" her voice rang.  I had found the parsley (bitter herbs) and two nice bottles of sparkling grape juice and went to the check-out line.  While the clerk was ringing up my purchases, I asked if there was any matzah in the store that I might have missed. She didn't know what that word meant. The woman in line behind me got a big grin on her face and said, "Oh, you must need that for Passover! Let me go and look for you!" Before I could stop her, she had gone on a search, and the clerk and I stood waiting.  Someone else got in line behind our two carts and I apologized. Expecting a grunt, she softly said, "Oh, no worries.  I can wait."

Eventually the dear woman came back from her search, lamenting, "I guess there is no matzah in this store, I'm sorry."

"I certainly did not intend for you to take time out of your day to look!  Thank you so much!" I gratefuly responded.

"Well, there is still some kindness in the world," she replied. "Have a blessed Passover!" and she winked at me.  I was feeling overwhelmed with the patience, goodness and kindness of the people in my small community. After I got home I checked the receipt to make sure everything looked right and it was then that I notice the name of the cashier at the bottom of my receipt.  Her name was MERCY!

It's the small things.  In a world gone so mad, filled so much hatred, war and violence, it's the small things our Lord uses to encourage us, to show us His gentle love.  And it blew me away after journaling the word He had given me the night before.  I was crying out to him, as I often do, to help see me through the great weariness I experience in constant care-giving.  He had responded with these words: "My child, I love you. I do love you. Cultivate joy. Listen, listen for My Voice and look for the wonder in small things. Seek Me and I shall be found."

In the Passover preparation, in our little corner grocery store, I found wonder in the small things. I knew His Mercy was covering me.  Whatever you face right now, I know it is covering you too! The Lamb has been slain for us, He is Alive and He reveals Himself to us in the wonder of small things.

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