Finding God in the Ordinary

by Pierce Taylor Hibbs

Overview

We tend to look for God in the grand and spectacular, but most of our lives are filled with ordinary moments and routines: drinking coffee, reading a book, driving to work. Can we find God in the banalities of everyday life? In Finding God in the Ordinary, the author shows that we can, and that we must. Our world is not an ordinary world. Because it was spoken into being and maintained by the word of God's power (Heb 1:3), everything around us is always revealing the nature and character of the triune God. Our world is extraordinarily ordinary, always calling our attention to the God of glory and his work in the commonplace. ""I loved this short book by Pierce Taylor Hibbs on finding God in the ordinary. It is Scriptural, wise, and beautifully written. Reformed theologians are not supposed to write natural theologies, but the Bible itself says that God is clearly revealed in the creation, and that means not only in the big things like the skies and the mountains, but also in small things, like my morning cup of coffee. This book will help you to see God everywhere, for that is where he is."" --John M. Frame, author of Nature's Case for God ""This book is a tremendous stimulus to seeing the world as God would have us see it, and interacting with the world as God would have us interact. It helps us by showing what was always there, God's presence in the ordinary. Creative, illuminating, and godly."" --Vern S. Poythress, author of Knowing and the Trinity ""The meditations upon life's commonplaces that Pierce Taylor Hibbs has crafted in this remarkable volume are Dillard-like in their penetrating observations of creation, and Hopkins-like in their 'Glory be to God for dappled things' celebration of the Creator's work. And more, because Hibbs' meditations are grounded in a robust, polychrome doctrine of the Holy Trinity, they help us to see the work of the three-personed God in all of life--the extraordinary ordinary of our own lives."" --R. Kent Hughes, author of Disciplines of a Godly Man ""In this precious volume Pierce Hibbs has done what few can achieve. These pages credibly combine the eye of a keen observer of the world around with statements about God's nature and purposes. Putting it that way sounds a bit grandiose, for the book is both playful and lyrical, at times overflowing into poetry. . . . Interspersed are Hibbs's insights into language, which is his great specialty. This is a book I would give to many people, believers or not, as it would introduce them to our God, whom they would meet in the ordinary."" --William Edgar, author of Created and Creating ""Pierce has a contagious, child-like sense of wonder in the everyday moments and opportunities so many of us miss, leading to theological and worshipful reflection of God and all his glory. Read this book devotionally to regain your sense of awe and connect it to your sense of God's presence in the world he created."" --Aimee Byrd, author of Theological Fitness Pierce Taylor Hibbs serves as the Associate Director of the Theological English department at Westminster Theology Seminary. He is the author of The Trinity, Language, and Human Behavior (2018) and The Speaking Trinity & His Worded World (2019). He writes regularly at wordsfortheologians.org.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781532657689
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	09/19/2018
Pages:	90
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.18(d)

About the Author

Pierce Taylor Hibbs serves as the Associate Director of the Theological English department at Westminster Theology Seminary. He is the author of The Trinity, Language, and Human Behavior (2018) and The Speaking Trinity & His Worded World (2019). He writes regularly at wordsfortheologians.org.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

1 The Solar System in My Coffee Cup 1

2 Isaac's Giggle 7

3 "Good Morning" 11

4 Dust at Daybreak 17

5 Shadows on the Grass 23

6 A Crouton for a Croissant 28

7 Dog Sleeping in the Sun 33

8 Wind in the Trees 38

9 Birds on a Telephone Wire 42

10 From Dawn to Daylight 46

11 The Sun on My Cheek 51

12 The Sound of Sibilants 56

13 Is This My Thumb? 59

14 Falling Snow 64

15 Light around the Window Shades 67

Epilogue 71

Bibliography 75

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“I loved this short book by Pierce Taylor Hibbs on finding God in the ordinary. It is Scriptural, wise, and beautifully written. Reformed theologians are not supposed to write natural theologies, but the Bible itself says that God is clearly revealed in the creation, and that means not only in the big things like the skies and the mountains, but also in small things, like my morning cup of coffee. This book will help you to see God everywhere, for that is where he is.”


—John M. Frame, author of Nature’s Case for God





“This book is a tremendous stimulus to seeing the world as God would have us see it, and interacting with the world as God would have us interact. It helps us by showing what was always there, God’s presence in the ordinary. Creative, illuminating, and godly.”


—Vern S. Poythress, author of Knowing and the Trinity





“The meditations upon life’s commonplaces that Pierce Taylor Hibbs has crafted in this remarkable volume are Dillard-like in their penetrating observations of creation, and Hopkins-like in their ‘Glory be to God for dappled things’ celebration of the Creator’s work. And more, because Hibbs’ meditations are grounded in a robust, polychrome doctrine of the Holy Trinity, they help us to see the work of the three-personed God in all of life—the extraordinary ordinary of our own lives.”


—R. Kent Hughes, author of Disciplines of a Godly Man





“In this precious volume Pierce Hibbs has done what few can achieve. These pages credibly combine the eye of a keen observer of the world around with statements about God’s nature and purposes. Putting it that way sounds a bit grandiose, for the book is both playful and lyrical, at times overflowing into poetry. . . . Interspersed are Hibbs’s insights into language, which is his great specialty. This is a book I would give to many people, believers or not, as it would introduce them to our God, whom they would meet in the ordinary.”


—William Edgar, author of Created and Creating





“Pierce has a contagious, child-like sense of wonder in the everyday moments and opportunities so many of us miss, leading to theological and worshipful reflection of God and all his glory. Read this book devotionally to regain your sense of awe and connect it to your sense of God’s presence in the world he created.”


—Aimee Byrd, author of Theological Fitness

Editorial Reviews

I loved this short book by Pierce Taylor Hibbs on finding God in the ordinary. It is Scriptural, wise, and beautifully written. Reformed theologians are not supposed to write natural theologies, but the Bible itself says that God is clearly revealed in the creation, and that means not only in the big things like the skies and the mountains, but also in small things, like my morning cup of coffee. This book will help you to see God everywhere, for that is where he is.”


—John M. Frame, author of Nature’s Case for God





“This book is a tremendous stimulus to seeing the world as God would have us see it, and interacting with the world as God would have us interact. It helps us by showing what was always there, God’s presence in the ordinary. Creative, illuminating, and godly.”


—Vern S. Poythress, author of Knowing and the Trinity





“The meditations upon life’s commonplaces that Pierce Taylor Hibbs has crafted in this remarkable volume are Dillard-like in their penetrating observations of creation, and Hopkins-like in their ‘Glory be to God for dappled things’ celebration of the Creator’s work. And more, because Hibbs’ meditations are grounded in a robust, polychrome doctrine of the Holy Trinity, they help us to see the work of the three-personed God in all of life—the extraordinary ordinary of our own lives.”


—R. Kent Hughes, author of Disciplines of a Godly Man





“In this precious volume Pierce Hibbs has done what few can achieve. These pages credibly combine the eye of a keen observer of the world around with statements about God’s nature and purposes. Putting it that way sounds a bit grandiose, for the book is both playful and lyrical, at times overflowing into poetry. . . . Interspersed are Hibbs’s insights into language, which is his great specialty. This is a book I would give to many people, believers or not, as it would introduce them to our God, whom they would meet in the ordinary.”


—William Edgar, author of Created and Creating





“Pierce has a contagious, child-like sense of wonder in the everyday moments and opportunities so many of us miss, leading to theological and worshipful reflection of God and all his glory. Read this book devotionally to regain your sense of awe and connect it to your sense of God’s presence in the world he created.”


—Aimee Byrd, author of Theological Fitness

From the Publisher