I enjoy my coffee without cream, without sugar, and most importantly, without caffeine. That’s because if I consume caffeine, I’m doomed to lie awake in bed until the early morning hours, as alert as an unblinking baby doll. Decaf is essential.

Though it’s a simple pleasure, the comfort of a quiet cup of coffee has become one of the highlights of my day. So when the grocery store ran out of my preferred blend, my disappointment was acute. Several times over the following weeks, I checked the store to see if they had re-stocked. Each time, I hurried to the coffee aisle practically holding my breath with expectation, only to be taunted by rows of empty bulk bins set in stern lines.

Finally, on one desperate visit, I found an employee. She was a tiny sparrow of a woman with short, black hair and gentle, dark eyes. She explained that they were out of every variety of that specific brand of coffee, but when I mentioned that I was looking for decaf, she said, “I have a bag of French roast decaf in the back if you want it.”

My heart fluttered with surprise — French roast is my favorite!

“That would be great!” I answered.

She left to retrieve the coffee, and when she reappeared a few minutes later, she was carrying an enormous five pound bag of coffee beans, plus a generous coupon!

In that moment, I felt as if God gave me a big kiss and said, “Here, sweetheart, have some coffee.” My heart swelled with a sense of being intimately loved, noticed, and nurtured. I walked out of the store with an irrepressible grin stretched across my face.

That evening, as I inhaled the aroma of brewing coffee, this thought swirled through my mind: God cares about the little things.

Mingled with that thought was the apostle Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians: “May [you] have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ . . . who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (3:18, 20 NIV).

Though it might sound silly, receiving a five pound bag of coffee was beyond what I had imagined. It never occurred to me to ask for such an extravagantly simple gift. Sometimes it’s easier to ask God for big things than for little things — things that we more obviously need, like a new car, money for a household repair, or healing for our bodies. Like my coffee, we may not consider that God would care, let alone, answer small prayers.

Why is this?

Perhaps because God is so big, we feel deep down that our concern must be big in order to warrant His attention. But by not asking, we reveal our true belief: that He doesn’t actually care about the little things. Sharing the details of our lives — our struggles, needs, fears, hopes, and joys — with someone indicates intimacy and a belief that that person cares about these things. My husband, Paul, knew all about my coffee quandary. I told him because he’s an integral part of my life, and I know he cares about my everyday concerns.

Sadly, too often I give my human relationships more credit than I give God. Even more than a loving husband, tender parent, or loyal friend, God wants to hear about — and help — with the details. My experience with the coffee was both a reminder and an invitation from God: Ask. Imagine. Believe. Stretch your imagination to extremes — trust for mighty moves, as well as miniature miracles. I love you, and I want to show you that in big and small ways.

I’m all for dreaming big and expecting great things from God — things bigger than I can imagine, but maybe it’s time to stretch our imaginations in the other direction. Maybe it’s time to start dreaming small and develop the courage to believe God really does want to be intimately involved in our day-to-day life.

Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Luke 11:9 NIV), and He always keeps His promises. Ask Him to show you His love in the little things and trust that He will answer.

 

[bctt tweet=”Maybe it’s time to start dreaming small and develop the courage to believe God really does want to be intimately involved in our day-to-day life. -Carina Alanson:” username=”incourage”]

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