The little things

As I read the scriptures though, there is a consistent theme of God wanting to be in the small details.  I think about how He wanted the ark made, or the temple, or the tabernacle.  He cared about the very intricate details.  He cared so much, that he took the time to spell out every detail in His Word.

Like the colors of the thread
You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim. Exodus 26:31
 
Or the rings that hold the bars
Overlay the frames with gold, and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Overlay the crossbars with gold as well. Exodus 26:29

And the loops of yarn
Put loops of blue yarn along the edge of the last curtain in each set.  The fifty loops along the edge of one curtain are to match the fifty loops along the edge of the other curtain. Exodus 26:4-5
 


He cared enough about these small details to speak it out in His instructions to Moses.  That really catches my attention. 

There are so many things that I think "I want to ask God for this..." They are the big things, things I know that I can not do in and of myself. I realize that without Him these things would not come to pass.  In the scheme of this vast universe, even my giant things are small to Him.

The truth is God wants to be in the small things.  He cares about our big things, but He will also take time to pour Himself into even the smallest parts of our life if we will ask Him, if we will let Him.  If God cares about the color of the strings on a curtain, the design that is created by man, how much more does He care about the masterpiece that He created?

Mercy, Grace and forgiveness

Realizing the difference between Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness is important.  There are times where we look at forgiveness and think that because we act differently that we have forgiven.  However, sometimes that is just a lie that we tell ourselves  that opens us up to a stronghold in our life. 

There are times that we mistake mercy for forgiveness.  We pretend that because we have not taken revenge or because the person has not received what they deserved that we have forgiven.  We need to give mercy, but it is not forgiveness.  Mercy is a covering, but that is not forgiveness.  God's mercy keeps us from the death and life separated from Him that we really deserve.  We can cover someone's mistake and not forgive them.  In the Old Testament the lambs blood covered the people's sin when it was sacrificed, but it could not forgive them. 

Other times we mistake grace for forgiveness.  We go about trying to "bless those who persecute us." Again this is Biblical, but  it is not forgiveness.    Grace is God's unmerited favor.  God pours out his blessings on the just and the unjust.  The unjust have not received forgiveness.  We can bless people without forgiving.

Forgiveness releases people from their sin and wrong doing.  Christ's blood not only covered our sins, it opened the door for forgiveness.  Sin is gone from God's sight when He looks at us, to be remembered no more.  We can have mercy and grace but not forgiveness in our heart.  However where there is forgiveness there will be mercy and grace.