The Holy Ground of Seeing God’s Grace in the Ordinary

I looked down at his soft, sweet face.  He was all nestled in, relaxed, and had the smell of newness about him.  We “oohed” and “aahhed” over him, my girls and I. It wasn’t too hard because he was the picture of perfection and as content as they come. It was like a gift to begin the week after feeling like I had to hang on with all my might in the midst of the darkness that set in the week before. I had no idea, till days later as the pieces began to take shape in my mind, what a gift it would truly be. 

Babies bring about conversations regarding all things babies. Before long the thread of conversation wound its way to names. It’s a topic I love. We talked about his sweet name and how it was chosen.  I found myself explaining the progression of names for our boys. 

It seemed like everyday conversation but sometimes in the midst of the everyday, you discover the holy. 

I had always wanted to name a boy Caleb and liking the name as well, my husband quickly agreed. Caleb entered the world but even before he came we had agreed the next boy would be Micah and if we had a third, Noah. We simply loved the names.  I won’t pretend there was some deep plan in any of that.  It was all very ordinary. 

Continuing to hold that sweet bundle, I explained that from the beginning we said boy number two would be Micah and if there was yet another, Noah.  A dear family friend always gifted a plaque with each baby’s name and the meaning of the name.  Micah was born, I explained, but the plaque didn’t come right away.  It was late, according to human perspective and right on time according to God’s.  At fourth months old, Micah went to be with Jesus and two days later his plaque arrived in the mail.  

It was packaged with care, sent with love, and I am sure the sender was thrilled to be getting it to its destination to celebrate the life of this little man.  She could never have known when she dropped it in the mail, that the name bearer would be with our God. But God knew.  We opened the package and our breath caught in our throats.  I remember my hands trembling as I carefully took hold of that plaque and read what it said, “Like unto God.”  Yes, he was.  

I explain how we had never looked up the meaning of his name, but God planned that detail. I tell my friend how we found ourselves expecting again very soon.  Since we had always said if we had a third boy we would name him Noah, that plan would stand.  By now though, we had learned how significant the details can be - like the meaning of a name.  We looked it up.  I’ll never forget that day. I stared at the screen in shock. Noah means, “Provider of Comfort.” We didn’t know we were going to have a boy, I explain, but we did and His name was like a gift.  It was the reminder we needed that He sees. He knows. He cares about the details. I push back the tears and look down at this fresh life in my arms, it seems to me he smells like hope. There is something about new life that gives fresh hope.  This story told while holding this sweet bundle felt to me like it filled the room with hope after feeling like I was doing all I could to hold onto hope the week before. 

It was finding holy in the everyday.  It was God showing up in the little details. 

My girls were listening intently to the story and asking questions like any kid would.  I realized it had been far too long since I had shared - clearly not recently enough for them to remember. It’s important to retell those stories of God in the ordinary, of His faithfulness, of how He cares about all the details of our lives.  

They make it easier to hope. 

The conversation drifted on like conversations always do with a couple of women and with kids running around living life. I didn’t think much of it other than a reminder of what God once did in my life.  We laughed, and chatted, and snuggled that boy until all too quickly the time came to leave.  

As we sat down to supper that night, the girls were recounting the days events, and telling of the wonders of the baby, and sharing about the little girls with whom they had spent time. Before long the topic of babies and names came up again.  That’s when it happened.  Our oldest looked up, and with tears ready, he said that maybe when he has kids, his first boy he would name Micah. My jaw dropped.  The shock wasn’t that it was so unbelievable that he would have this idea, it was the timing.

Just a couple days before I looked up at the small tub holding the only belongings of Micah that we still have.  A thought occurred to me that I had never had in the almost 16 years since he went to be with the Lord.  I thought about how it would thrill my heart if one of our kids were to name their son Micah.  I mentioned it to my husband who pointed out we can never say that to any of our kids as we would not want to put pressure on them.  Now here we are, just a couple days later, and all on his own, out flows this idea of naming his son.  The tears were instant for both me and my husband.  I could not believe how the Lord would stir our oldest’s heart in that way right after having that thought and feeling that longing in my own heart. 

The truth is, there was something so much bigger happening in this moment that further reflection brought to me.  You see it doesn’t actually matter if Caleb ever names his son after his brother. What matters is that God sees, and He knows, and He cares about the details of our lives.  He cares about the longings of our hearts. He is in the ordinary making it holy.  In one day He reminded me of how He has done this in the past in my life, and that He is still doing it today.  My life, no matter how dark the darkness, how weighty the burdens , how overwhelming the tasks, or how insufficient I feel for what I’ve been given to do, is never out of the control of His sovereign hand.  It is never beyond His sight.  It is never more than that for which His grace is sufficient. 

The day started with the very ordinary cuddling of a new baby and light hearted conversation about names with a friend after a hard week. However, the day ended with my shoes off as I stood on holy ground astounded at how God works in the little things and reminds us, He is working in everything. His grace has met me every step of my life and it will continue till I see Him face to face. That’s the truth no matter what lies I hear in the darkness. 

His grace is sufficient and never runs out. 

“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

2 Corinthians 9:8