"finding God In The Ordinary"

“Finding God in the Ordinary”

Matthew 6:24-34

Once upon a time, there was a far- away land that was ruled by a vicious king.

His iron fist reached into every corner of his subjects’ lives.

Every corner, except one.

Try as he might, he couldn’t destroy their belief in God.

In his frustration, he finally called his advisors together and asked them: “Where can I hide God so that the people will forget about Him?”

One suggested hiding God on the dark side of the moon.

This idea was hotly debated, but was eventually voted down because the advisors were afraid that scientists would one day figure out a way to travel into space and God would be discovered again.

Another suggestion was burying God in the deepest part of the ocean.

But there was the same problem with this idea, so it was voted down.

Idea after idea was suggested, debated and rejected.

Until finally the oldest and wisest advisor had a flash of insight.

“I know,” he said, “why don’t we hide God where no one will ever even think to look?”

And he explained, “If we hide God in the ordinary events of people’s every-day lives, they’ll never find Him!”

And so, it was done.

And they say people in that land are still looking for God, even today.”

Are you still looking for God, even today?

If so, where are you looking?

You know, life itself is an absolute miracle.

Why do we take it so for granted?

And why do we worry so and complain?

One day, about eleven years ago, I had a 10-year-old dachshund named Wesley.

Go figure, a Methodist Minister naming his dog Wesley.

In any event, Wesley had developed congestive heart failure.

She became weaker and weaker until she was having a hard time standing.

Yes, my female dachshund was named Wesley.

One morning, I awoke to sounds of banging against the metal doors of the closet.

I looked down from my bed and there was Wesley, looking up at me and struggling to stand.

I got up, carried Wesley downstairs and took her outside to go to the bathroom, but this was an effort in futility.

I walked back in house and as I cradled her in my arms, she stroked out and went limp.

My sweet dog died in my arms.

I put Wesley on a pillow and my father-in-law drove as we took her to the vet.

We didn’t know what else to do.

In any event, I had Wesley on my lap, and it looked as if she were sleeping.

Her hair was still shiny and soft.

She still looked like a puppy really.

My dog was still there…except she wasn’t.

The breath of life had left her body.

There was no bringing it back.

God has breathed into us this mysterious breath of life.

It causes these shells—these bodies we live in to be living things.

We can move our arms.

We can think deep thoughts.

We can create.

We can admire the beauty of creation, whether it is a flower, a field, a snowstorm or a painting of one.

But without that breath of life, we are just an inanimate object.

I saw this when my father died a few years ago.

I saw this happen when my sisters and I spent two weeks sitting with my mother as she slowly deteriorated from the effects of colon cancer…

…first talking and laughing…

…and eventually calling out to Jesus to take her…

…until she stopped breathing and I watched her final heartbeat occur through a vein on her neck.

I think we take the ordinary for granted.

I think we lose God in the ordinary.

I think we lose our blessings in the ordinary.

They are well-hidden because we take them for granted.

They are well-hidden because we worry, we fret and we run after and serve the wrong gods or god.

In our Gospel Lesson for this morning, Jesus tells us: “No one can serve two masters.

Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and money.

Therefore, I tell you, do not worry…”

Do you know that just about every facet of American society sets itself up against this message from Jesus?

And therefore, it is one of the most countercultural sermons Jesus preaches.

I mean, let’s all ask ourselves this question: “What makes me worry? Is it whether or not I will have enough money to eat, pay my bills, buy my toys, provide for my kids at Christmas, go on vacation, retire?”

Or “Do I worry because I serve, love and trust in God and God alone?”

This is why trusting in God is the most important thing we can do in this life.