The Sink is Full Again

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In the 17th century monastery kitchen in Paris, pots seemed to always be in use and the sink was forever full. In the middle of it stands a quiet lay brother named Brother Lawrence, not a famous preacher, just the cook and later the sandal repair guy. Most of us assume that closeness to God happens in a chapel. Lawrence began to discover it at the sink.

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How does a person get there?

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Seeing ordinary chores has holy ground.

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Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives, your daily dose of encouragement from God's Word.

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I'm Bart Leger and today we're talking about finding purpose even in life's most repetitive tasks. After Lawrence died, friends gathered his letters and conversations into a little book called The Practice of the Presence of God, his simple way of staying aware of God while he cooked, scrubbed, or fixed shoes.

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He taught that our common business can be done for the love of God, not just the big spiritual moments. One of his short lines I love is, It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God. Now that's Colossians 3.23 in an apron.

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Whatever you do, do it for the Lord. If Brother Lawrence could meet God at a noisy sink, we can meet him in hours today.

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Colossians 3.23 says, Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. If we're honest, most of our lives feel repetitive. Laundry, dishes, emails, commutes, meetings, the same conversations at work. And sometimes we wonder, does any of this matter? Am I just stuck on repeat? Brother Lawrence's story reminds us that the answer is yes. These things matter deeply, not because the tasks themselves are glamorous, but because of the posture of our hearts while we do them. He discovered that it's possible to be just as close to God, peeling potatoes, as preaching a sermon. Why?

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Because when we choose to offer each task to God, no matter how small, it becomes an act of worship. Think about it this way.

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Every sink full of dishes can be an opportunity to thank God for the people who dirty them. Every load of laundry can be a reminder of God's provision for your family.

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responding to. The task doesn't have to change. It's our perspective that shifts.

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Colossians 3.23 doesn't say, Work only at the exciting things for the Lord. It says, Whatever you do. That means everything is included. Teaching a class, changing a diaper, fixing a truck, serving in a firehouse, or washing a sink full of dishes.

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When we do it for the love of God, we find purpose in the ordinary. The truth is, most of life happens in the ordinary.

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And if we can learn to meet God in the ordinary, we'll discover that He's present in every moment, not just the so-called spiritual ones. The sink may be full again tomorrow, but that sink can also be holy ground today. Lord, help me see you in the middle of the ordinary.

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Remind me that my everyday work matters to you. And give me the grace to do even small things with love. Teach me to offer my chores, my duties, my routines, as worship to you. In Jesus' name, Amen. Thanks for joining me today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. Remember, every sink, every chore, every repetitive task can be holy ground when it's done for the Lord. Come back next time for more encouragement to help you live grounded in God's truth. Until then, God bless and have a great day.