WHEN THE COMMON BECOMES SACRED by Vicki Taylor

I don’t remember when I got my copy of the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, but I do know it has made an impact on how I look at things now. I began my “Gift” journal in January taking the dare from Ann, writing down what God gifts me daily. The joy dare, as she calls it, has been quite the experience and eye opener for me.  

The past two mornings she has talked about the common things God gives us each day. This caught my attention! What are the common things? And what does God consider common? I dug deeper to find out…

God did not consider the birds of the air common; according to Matthew 6, our Father feeds them and tends to their needs. He also tends to the lilies in the fields and enjoys their beauty. Common things? I think not.  

So when do the common things become sacred? When we look at these things through an eternal lens with an eternal perspective, and realize all things come from God. When we begin to see these gifts that He gives as love unwrapped, they become the sacred. Why did it take so long for me to see this? All those gifts I have been counting are not just gifts I can see; they are the sacredness of God handed down to me, His child, through His hand of love.  Sacred.  
For example:
1. The toast every morning that my husband makes me. (smile)
2. The finches at the bird feeder fighting for their place at the feeder.
3. The grandson’s smile when he hears my voice.
4. The flowers left all over the yard after the granddaughter picked them and left them there for me to find.
5. When He whispers my name and tells me this is all from Him to me, and I smile at the wonder of it all.

These are all the joy gifts Ann is talking about, and it only took me six months to open my spiritual eyes to see them. I smile as I am writing this, knowing God is gifting me right now and hoping you will also be encouraged by the sacredness of the gifts He gives. May we no longer look at the common things but seek to see His glory in the sacred things.