A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

I ran to the window, attracted by a relentless movement.

Several days of gusty wind and dancing rain had given the land a fresh "wash and blow dry" and the coat of snow had vanished from Ontario in mid January; an unusual thing. Green dared to show itself in plant roots; vibrant spring life playing peek-a-boo with winter.

But now something was afoot outside and lazily swirling, down they drifted, an army of a million foot soldiers taking back the land into captivity. As soft and light as goose feathers, but theirs was a deceptive gentleness, for the green was quickly vanishing beneath this gentle force of white.

A phrase that has lingered in my mind for months came back to haunt me over subsequent days as I thought about the power of many small things, small acts, small thoughts--in the same direction; "A long obedience in the same direction."

I'd heard the phrase used in a talk and wrote it down to remember. I didn't know that it was the title of a book on discipleship by Eugene Peterson until I went to the source of information on almost anything--Google!

But I've been thinking of the significance of the small things and I think that they are probably more weighty than the large, for the small things are what make us who we are.

Small habits of character; small choices that seem so unimportant. "Do I really need to confess and apologise?"

Like a blanket these choices cover us and become the fabric of our lives.

Romans 13:12 (New Living Translation)
12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.

Comments

Susan said…
Wow. (Again!)

The post I am writing for tomorrow night will dovetail PERFECTLY with this one!

But it won't be as profound, nor nearly as well written.

Congratulations. Your writing is a testimony of the value of practicing being "faithful in the little things" as you have continued to write your posts day after day, month after month. You're just getting better and better at sharing God's heart and ways with your readers. I love it.... I hope you never retire! Well, from blogging, anyway. :o)
Belinda said…
I can't wait to see what God has given you to say.

Thank you, friend.

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