Spectacularly Ordinary!
This posting is a make up for Tuesday October the 3rd.
The Gospel According to Luke
Luke Chapter 2
Scripture= Luke 2:6 – 7, 39 – 40
6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
39When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
Observations and Applications=
It is amazing to me when I read Luke chapter 2 how extra-ordinary the story of our Saviors birth is. When you look at Mary and Joseph they are ordinary people who find themselves carrying out a series of natural events that are the fulfillment of supernatural phenomena. God has come to live on earth!
Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem to fulfill their obligations to the government of Rome. By going to the city of David they fulfill prophecy. They don’t have reservations for the hotel and end up in a stable again fulfilling prophecy. The baby Jesus is wrapped in common rags. The first visitors to the baby’s birth are common shepherds. Mary and Joseph settle for the sacrifice price of the poor when they circumcise and dedicate their new baby. When everything is done they simply head back to their home in Nazareth…simply a ho–hum existence, right? Hardly!
Think about it? Angels proclaim Jesus’ birth and then a heavenly chorus joins the angels in singing praises about the birth of this baby. Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the temple and two people prophetically proclaim his identity. One has been told that he will not die until he has seen the Messiah and the other is 84 or has been a widow for 84 years which makes her even much older. This story is spectacularly ordinary!
I wonder how often we have misjudged our own lives? We claim that our lives are boring and that they are simply ordinary. How many times have we missed the supernatural hand of God interfacing with our lives? Remember God uses the foolish things to confound the wise and the ordinary circumstances to fulfill his purposes. (See I Corinthians 1:26-31) Live to be spectacularly ordinary!
Prayer= Lord, I thank you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made! Take my life today and use it for your glory.
