Ordinary

Acts 4:13--When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus

Imagine turning on your television for the evening news just in time to hear the anchor report, “Today nothing special happened so why don’t you turn off the TV and enjoy whatever it was you were doing.”  That day will never happen!  Stations compete for viewers and that means that even two snails laboring across a dirt trail would be sensationalized somehow to keep our interest.  

Throughout history in virtually every society, people have gravitated towards excitement like moths to light.  Life on the clay has never been as pulse-pounding as shooting rapids. Today’s boxing matches were yesterday’s gladiators wrestling lions, and knights jousting for the hand of some gorgeous princess.  From century to century people have sought fame and fortune, value and meaning. Newspapers and radios tell us who hits the most home runs, who makes the most money, who drives the fastest cars, who stars in the most acclaimed movie, who looks the most glamorous, etc., etc. To an ego-centered world, to be ordinary is boring, dull and unacceptable.  

Had Jesus not performed miracles and taught with wisdom to astound the most learned religious leaders, He would have been totally ignored as a carpenter.  He dazzled the Jews with miracles not even the revered Moses performed. But Jesus’ intent was never to attract attention to Himself.  His mission was spiritual--to seek and to save mankind from sin (Luke 19:10).  He did not leave heaven for earth to capture the glory of a hero-starved nation clamoring for a king and an end to Roman rule. 

He grew up before Him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at Him, no appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him. (Isaiah 53:2,3)  

He came to serve not to be served. He modeled holiness with perfect humility.  He suppressed the on-call power befitting the Son of God to die a crucified Son of Man suspended between two common criminals. 

Have you ever asked the question, “Why would God want to use me?”  You wouldn’t be alone if you had.  But your worth to God is not determined by what spectacular things you pull off.  No diplomas, trophies or Nobel prizes are fedexed to heaven.  God is far more impressed with children who are faithful in the little than those whose lives parallel Roman Candles.  His desire is that we would be content with what we have—not miserable for what we have not.  Perhaps this is why He reminds us in His word to “cease striving and know that I am God.”  

. . . still feeling mundane?  Consider this!  God sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in the lives of those who placed their faith in His Son.  If this is you, you are a temple of the Almighty.  You have access to the throne room of the Ancient of Days.  You hold a place in the Book of Life which guarantees you the privilege of worshiping God forever with a new body that will never know decay, pain or sorrow!  For now your Creator placed you in a unique bod.  He’s not phased by hair loss, glasses, braces, love-handles or crippling diseases.  He’s interested in your love.  That’s right, the no-word-can-adequately-describe Holy Father seeks the fellowship of ordinary you!  If you will worship the Lord so that others see Jesus at work in your life you have no idea what God may do through you.  Just look what God did through an unschooled fisherman named Peter. Whoa!  Goodbye mediocre.  Hello GLORY! 
 
Inspiration
It is inbred in us that we have to do exceptional things for God; but we have not.  We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things, to be holy in mean streets, among mean people, and this is not learned in five minutes.—Oswald Chambers in My Utmost For His Highest
 
©1998 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)