You made me and formed me with your hands. Give me understanding so I can learn your commands. Let those who respect you rejoice when they see me, because I put my hope in your word. Lord, I know that your laws are right and that it was right for you to punish me. Comfort me with your love, as you promised me, your servant. Have mercy on me so that I may live. I love your teachings. (Psalm 119:73-77)

Ponder It.

What are the oddest games and sports you’ve heard of?

What is the silliest game you’ve ever played?

When have you done your best in a game or sport?

Receive It.

Curling seems like an odd sport to me. Every four years, during the winter Olympics, I watch it with ignorance. I don’t really understand it. I hear numerous jokes about it, especially referring to it as glorified sweeping. If you don’t know much about curling, it basically involves players sliding “stones” on ice toward a target of four concentric rings. It’s related to shuffleboard. During the most recent Olympics, curling got even more attention and jokes because of the wildly colorful pants of some of the teams. But curling takes skill. It requires teamwork. No one gets to the Olympics in curling without training. Just because something looks silly doesn’t mean it’s worthless. The same is true for us. Just because we question the worth of what we’re doing doesn’t mean it’s worthless. It doesn’t mean we’re worthless, purposeless, and so on.

We get our worth from God, not in what we do. When we are obedient in God, we honor God. He loves us. We fulfill His purpose. When we’re not obedient to God, we don’t honor Him, but He still loves us. We don’t live out His purpose in that situation, but He’ll still use it. God doesn’t determine our worth by what we do. Claiming that what you do isn’t important, that you’re “just” a volunteer, “just” a salesperson, “just a mom” lessens who God says you are. When you live for Him, you aren’t “just” anything: you are His child. Whether you are cleaning someone’s toilet, filling your gas tank, serving food, sorting donations, or brushing your teeth, God wants you to seek and follow Him. Even the most mundane silly things you do every day have purpose, because you can choose to yield every moment and situation to Him or do it on your own. Give it all to Him. He’s the one who gives you worth.

Live It.

Think about the routine things you’ll do today. Pay special attention to them. Give each of them to God, and let Him guide and use you through each of the moments of your routine. Ask Him to give you a glimpse of the meaning of each task. Breathe a prayer in each routine moment. Honor God by continually submitting to God.

Today’s post is part of a 30-day devotional of Adventures in Faith. A new post will be available each morning to launch your day with reflection questions, God’s Word, and a personal challenge.