The Beauty Of Ordinary Days
When Abba Opens Our Eyes Again
"Every good and perfect gift is from above..." James 1:17
An Ordinary Morning
This morning I woke up.
That may not sound extraordinary until you remember that not everyone did.
I got out of bed on my own. I walked to the bathroom without anyone helping me. I made a cup of coffee, sat down at my computer, encouraged a few friends, did work I genuinely enjoy, and even earned a living while doing it.
Before the morning was very old, I had already been surrounded by gifts I hardly noticed.
The Gifts We Forget
It's amazing how quickly ordinary blessings become ordinary expectations.
We seldom thank the Father for walking until we're unable to walk. We rarely think about clear vision until it begins to fade. A conversation with someone we love, another sunrise, another quiet morning...these things quietly become part of the background until something reminds us how precious they really are.
Abba Father hasn't been correcting me; He's been awakening me to His extraordinary love in ordinary days.
Seeing Again
The circumstances around me haven't suddenly become easier.
There are still people I love who are walking difficult roads. There are still prayers that continue to unfold, and there are still questions waiting for answers.
I recognize that difficult roads are part of life, but we don't have to miss the beautiful scenery along the way.
Yet none of those things have the power to hide the Father's love.
He keeps opening my eyes to His goodness in ways I had simply stopped noticing.
The Father's Gentle Heart
The Father isn't asking me to become more grateful so He'll love me more. He's simply awakening my heart to His extraordinary love that has been present in the ordinary moments of my life all along.
He isn't reminding me of these gifts because I failed to notice them. He's inviting me to look again.
To see His goodness woven into another ordinary day. To recognize that His love has been quietly surrounding me from the moment I opened my eyes this morning.
Maybe that's one of His sweetest mercies.
Not changing every circumstance around me, but awakening my heart to the life He has already given me.
Reflection
What ordinary gift have I walked past today?
Where has Abba been awakening my eyes to His love?
What might become extraordinary if I looked at today through His heart?
Prayer
Abba Father, thank You for opening my eyes again. Keep awakening my heart to Your extraordinary love in the ordinary gifts of each new day.