Ordinary
Our cheesy Advent poem from tonight:
We were minding our business one dark, lonely night
When suddenly from heaven we saw a great light.
We heard some loud singing and a voice said, “Don’t fear!
The One you’ve been waiting for is finally here!”
We couldn’t believe what we saw in the sky
Or that God would pick us, such regular guys.
Once we came to our senses and were finally able,
We made our way to that small, local stable
Where the heavenly chorus had said we would find
a sweet baby Savior, so loving and kind.
Who am I talking about?
Read God’s Word and find out.
Luke 2:8-20; I Corinthians 1:26-29
One of the most wonderful aspects of the Christmas story to me is the ordinary nature of the places and people God chose to use. I want to write something amazing about it that will make you ponder and see the story in a fresh, new light, but I'm just feeling ordinary tonight.
That's the beauty of it, though. It's not about who we are or what we can say or how we can make others think or feel. It's about Him using plain old, unremarkable, run-of-the-mill people to turn heads and hearts...toward Him.
A young Jewish girl, living in an ordinary village, getting ready to embark on the life all young Jewish girls live. “But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.""
A young Jewish man just hoping to make a living, love his wife and raise some strapping boys, but whose hopes had just been dashed. "But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.""
A ragtag bunch of shepherds sitting under the stars, trying to find conversation or thoughts to fill the time until their shift was up and they could head home for some shuteye. "An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.""
Just another stable, one among thousands in that part of the world, home to plain old stinky animals used for work or food. "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them."
Ordinary. Or so it seemed. Ordinary. Until He intervened. And made it all into something too extraordinary for words.
Doesn't that excite you somewhere down deep inside? Does it make your heart flutter for just a a moment as you think, wonder, ask, "Would He ever choose me?" Because some part of each of us knows that we're meant for something more than ordinary. There is a desire, buried though it may be, to be used by our Master, our Creator for that very purpose for which He made us. We seek that rush, that high, that euphoria in all kinds of earthly things. But, even when we find it for a moment, or maybe two, it leaves us all too soon. Fleeting. Momentary.
We were made for more. Though we are ordinary, or because we are ordinary, we know there is more. There is a purpose that in His providence He has planned. But maybe to our eyes it looks so ordinary that we've missed it. Don't forget...it's when and how and who you least expect it to be...He works. He moves. He makes the ordinary eternal. Prepare your heart. You could be next...don't you want to be?
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:27-31
We were minding our business one dark, lonely night
When suddenly from heaven we saw a great light.
We heard some loud singing and a voice said, “Don’t fear!
The One you’ve been waiting for is finally here!”
We couldn’t believe what we saw in the sky
Or that God would pick us, such regular guys.
Once we came to our senses and were finally able,
We made our way to that small, local stable
Where the heavenly chorus had said we would find
a sweet baby Savior, so loving and kind.
Who am I talking about?
Read God’s Word and find out.
Luke 2:8-20; I Corinthians 1:26-29
One of the most wonderful aspects of the Christmas story to me is the ordinary nature of the places and people God chose to use. I want to write something amazing about it that will make you ponder and see the story in a fresh, new light, but I'm just feeling ordinary tonight.
That's the beauty of it, though. It's not about who we are or what we can say or how we can make others think or feel. It's about Him using plain old, unremarkable, run-of-the-mill people to turn heads and hearts...toward Him.
A young Jewish girl, living in an ordinary village, getting ready to embark on the life all young Jewish girls live. “But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.""
A young Jewish man just hoping to make a living, love his wife and raise some strapping boys, but whose hopes had just been dashed. "But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.""
A ragtag bunch of shepherds sitting under the stars, trying to find conversation or thoughts to fill the time until their shift was up and they could head home for some shuteye. "An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.""
Just another stable, one among thousands in that part of the world, home to plain old stinky animals used for work or food. "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them."
Ordinary. Or so it seemed. Ordinary. Until He intervened. And made it all into something too extraordinary for words.
Doesn't that excite you somewhere down deep inside? Does it make your heart flutter for just a a moment as you think, wonder, ask, "Would He ever choose me?" Because some part of each of us knows that we're meant for something more than ordinary. There is a desire, buried though it may be, to be used by our Master, our Creator for that very purpose for which He made us. We seek that rush, that high, that euphoria in all kinds of earthly things. But, even when we find it for a moment, or maybe two, it leaves us all too soon. Fleeting. Momentary.
We were made for more. Though we are ordinary, or because we are ordinary, we know there is more. There is a purpose that in His providence He has planned. But maybe to our eyes it looks so ordinary that we've missed it. Don't forget...it's when and how and who you least expect it to be...He works. He moves. He makes the ordinary eternal. Prepare your heart. You could be next...don't you want to be?
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:27-31
have a good rest of advent
ReplyDeleteIt does amaze me Amy. I just can't believe that there is anything about me the Lord can use but praise HIS HOLY NAME He is so much bigger than my weaknesses.
ReplyDelete