Leave the Little Things to God

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. They trudged through the dry desert, step by dusty step; yet their sandals did not wear out. For forty years!

We own boots for trudging through snow, maybe a second pair of boots for driving. We wear sandals and flip-flops in the summer, and even water shoes for the beach. We wear steel toed work boots and non-slip shoes in our workplaces. We wear runners or athletic shoes to the gym, and dress boots or heels to the office. How many of us own more than ten pairs of shoes?

There are fifteen different stores in our local mall that sell “footwear.” They aren’t even classified as “shoe” stores anymore. Fifteen stores! And our shoes wear out. The heels fall off. The soles rip. The tread wears thin. Our shoes get too tight when we outgrow them.

The fact that the Israelite’s sandals never wore out in forty years was a divine miracle. God didn’t want them wasting precious time on trivial matters. He had more important things for them to focus on.

The same holds true for us. We shouldn’t be fretting over tiny issues. Leave that to God.

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.” Matthew 6:30-33 MSG.

We are to take care of the task at hand and leave the little things to God. There is no sense worrying about things over which we have no control. Besides, worrying only causes stress.

If God can clothe the forests and the fields and keep the Israelite’s sandals from wearing thin for forty years, He will surely clothe us. He will surely take care of us.

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“And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet.”

- Deuteronomy 29:5