I’ve been thinking about this phrase as it applies to discipleship. It’s not quite the right expression because it seems that if we’re discipling in the nooks and crannies of life, we aren’t making it a priority. That’s not what I’m wanting to say. Discipleship should be a priority that fills the nooks and crannies as well as the ordinary and extraordinary moments of every day.
I’m trying to find the right expression or words for discipling like we’re told in Deuteronomy 6:5-7: And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. (NLT)
Discipleship is not a Bible study once a week, especially when we are trying to disciple our children and grandchildren. We cannot leave the responsibility to the Sunday School teachers alone. So whatever we are doing as we go through our day, we are discipling our children. We are showing them how to walk with God and how to handle stressful situations, unexpected joys, and devastating sorrows. We are showing our faith in our expressions and reactions as we encounter people and circumstances each day. Our children are learning from us as we walk through our daily routines.
When we are blessed with a teachable moment, an open conversation, spiritual curiosity, or a defining moment opportunity, we must be aware and cease that moment as the gift it is. These are blessings when our children’s hearts are open to truly hear what we can share with them from our wisdom and experience with God. They are precious gifts from God. They can interrupt our daily routine at what seems the most inconvenient moment, but we must learn to stop and recognize the divine appointment that it is.
However, most of our discipleship with our children is in the nooks and crannies and ordinaries of our daily lives. That’s because living our Christian life is also in the nooks and crannies and ordinaries that we live. It is recognizing that God’s grace is sufficient in these small daily routines as much as it is sufficient for the big, scary, and tragic times of life. He is faithful in all our circumstances, and He is with us through each one. He is at work in the big events, the small quiet moments, and the loud, frazzled hours of our days.
If we can have a weekly family worship time or Shabbat time, that is wonderful, but I pray we don’t let the little moments slip away when they are there in every minute of the day.