Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

(4^th in a series on Lent)

Matthew 1:1-16 & 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

 (Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+1%3A1-16+&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Cor.1.26-1Cor.1.31

 

 

Have you ever wondered who your ancestors are? Whether any of them are famous, or infamous? A long time ago, I bought a book called Our Family Tree and did a fair amount of research on my family genealogy. There were farmers, ministers, teachers, contractors, builders; basically just regular ordinary people.

 

Matthew starts his gospel with the genealogy of Jesus. It’s a pretty impressive list of ancestors which includes Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Eventually he adds David who received the Messianic promise fulfilled through the birth of Jesus.

 

But if you look closely, you can read some of their stories which includes lies, manipulation, stealing, power struggles, dysfunctional families, adultery and murder. In addition, written to a male dominated society, Matthew’s list includes five women, of which three were Gentiles; not your typical Jewish audience.

 

Matthew’s genealogy is not exactly the pristine genealogy that you might expect for the

Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham, the son of God. And yet, it is exactly as it should be. It tells us a lot about who God is and how He works.

 

For one thing, Matthew’s genealogy would seem to imply that the Gospel is not just for Jews; not just for men or for those who have power; not just for those who are religious. But it is for all that would believe; for all that have faith; for all that love the Lord your God.

 

You could also infer from his genealogy that God works through the common, ordinary, even sinful people of this world to accomplish His will. Paul wrote this to the Corinthians:

 

²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ 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. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. NIV

 

You may have seen the TV commercial about a little boy who tries to hit a baseball by throwing it up in the air. Each time he declares, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world”! Following his third strike he ponders what just happened and suddenly declares, “I’m the greatest pitcher in the world”!

http://www.values.com/inspirational-stories-tv-spots/99-the-greatest

 

Whether that is true or not, is not the point. The point is that he is a normal, ordinary little boy who expects to accomplish extraordinary things. In the same way, God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.

 

 

 

(If God has spoken to you through this devotional, please feel free to share it with others.)

http://lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com/

 

YOU are the Messenger

(3^rd in a series on Lent)

Malachi 2:17-3:5

 (Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi%202%3A17-3%3A5&version=NIV;GNT

 

 

Texting is the high tech version of passing a note in school. Back in the day, girls would pass notes to each other during class. No doubt they had their secret tactics to make sure the teacher never observed their covert operations. After all, these notes contained highly sensitive information; not meant for all to see.

 

Malachi, which means “my messenger”, didn’t text messages; nor did he pass notes. But he was God’s messenger to the remnant of the Jews that had returned to Jerusalem. The Jews had once again fallen into sin. To bring them hope of change, of purpose and of redemption, God spoke these words through Malachi:

 

The Lord Almighty answers, “I will send my messenger to prepare the way for

me. Then the Lord you are looking for will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger you long to see will come and proclaim my covenant.”        GNT

 

The Bible is the story of God’s plan of redemption. From the Old Testament to the New, God has been preparing for the redemption of Israel, and for the redemption of all who would receive Him. In the above verse, Malachi prophesied about John the Baptist, who would prepare the way for Jesus, the Messiah.

 

Throughout the Bible, there were many messengers who prepared the way of the Lord. The same is true in our individual lives. There have been people, places and

circumstances that God has used as messengers to prepare the way for the Lord to touch our hearts and change our lives; in a word, to bring redemption.

 

In the spirit of the Lenten season, which is a time for reflection and preparation for Easter; who have the messengers been in your life? Who has been preparing the way of the Lord for you? Who has spoken God’s word into your heart?

 

And because the Good News is not personal information to be kept to ourselves, like a

secret note being passed in class, to whom has God brought into your life for you to be a messenger; for you to help prepare the way of the Lord?

 

 

(If God has spoken to you through this devotional, please feel free to share it with others.)

http://lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com/

 

# Trending

(The 2^nd in a series on Lent)

Esther 4:1-17

 (Use the link below to read the passage.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther%204&version=NIV;NLT

 

Trending is what we used to call a fad. In the 60’s, tight pants were popular, so my mom “pegged” my pants for me. About three years later, bell bottoms were the rage. Trends come and go seeming to have a life of their own. They don’t require rhyme nor reason. They just happen; by chance apparently.

 

The book of Esther is the only book of the Bible that never mentions God by name. And if you didn’t know better, you might think the story of Esther was a story of chance; even of trending.

 

There are four main characters: King Xerxes, Haman, Mordecai and Esther. Haman had convinced the King to have the Jews destroyed. But Mordecai finds out his plans and thwarts them by convincing Esther to approach the King.

 

“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. ¹⁴ For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

 

¹⁵ Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”         NIV

 

Last week I wrote about the role of reflection during Lent. Haman and King Xerxes believed that they “were on top of the world”. They felt like they had everything under control. You might say, that they were trending well. On the other hand, Mordecai and Esther, though trending downward, trusted in God who they believed was in control.

 

Where are you trending in your life? Are you trending towards God, or away from Him? Do you feel like you have control of everything? Or do you see how God is at work and He is in control? How is God using you in His plans? Where has God placed you, “for such a time as this”?

 

 

(If God has spoken to you through this devotional, please feel free to share it with others.)

http://lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com/

 

Can Your Smart Phone Do This?

James 1:19-27

 (Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201%3A19-27&version=NIV;MSG

  

Think about how many different ways you use your smart phone. Most likely talking is only a small percentage. There’s social media, taking pictures/selfies, your calendar,

paying your bills, storing your airline boarding pass, texting, checking your email, checking the weather, checking Google... You get the idea.

 

For many people, their smart phone is their brain. Without it, they would be lost. With it, they are in constant contact with everything and everyone that is important to them. Your smart phone makes your life more convenient and efficient. But, and you knew that was coming, can it do this? Can it reflect on who you are?

 

This past Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, was the beginning of Lent. Lent is a time of

repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a period of forty days, not counting Sundays, set aside for self-examination and reflection.

 

James wrote about the importance of not just reflecting on God’s Word, but being transformed by it.

 

^22-24 Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.          MSG

 

If there is anything that is antithetical to the norm of our culture, it is reflection. Just try it. It feels impossible sometimes to slow down the pace of life; to cut back on activity; to turn the TV, the radio or the smart phone off. In a word, to be quiet.

 

During Lent, many people have the tradition of giving up something, or even fasting. What’s important is not what you are fasting from, or giving up, but that you take this season of Lent as an opportunity to reflect. Reflect on who you are? Whose you are? And whom do you serve?

 

 

(If God has spoken to you through this devotional, please feel free to share it with others.)

http://lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com/