Ordinarily, the world would be buzzing with human activity pretty much everywhere. Lately however, with numerous quarantines in place around the world the activity is far less than normal and anything but ordinary. Ordinary days would involve work, the gathering of supplies and travel - yes, much travel. But lately things aren't like normal, they don't seem much like ordinary - at least for much of mankind.
Many shops, factories and businesses have been forced to close their doors. Millions of people are wondering what comes next while waiting in seclusion to avoid the possibility of contracting a virus, while many others fight to overcome it. In the world of humanity, for many, these days seem anything but ordinary... But in fact they are.
Since the world began and man was created, mankind's always, every moment, been completely reliant and totally dependent on one source for provision, healing and even for the very breath of life. It's not a fact that some puffed up in their pride are willing to admit - choosing instead to tout their self reliance and remaining steadfast in their scoffing at the notion. Others may be aware of the fact, but let it become crowded by other thoughts and concerns, forcing it into a back corner of their mind to be recalled at a later time - when they have more time.
While the multitude of the generations of man rise and fall and the earth spins in its seemingly endless preordained circles, the God of Heaven watches. The very same sovereign God who wields such terrifying power as was necessary to create everything we know, including us, has seen every convolution of man's societies from the beginning to the end. He's witnesses all of the attitudes, ambitions, flailings and events of man over many, many, many generations. To Him, these days are sadly ordinary, He's seen them repeated so many times before.
At this late day, there's nothing that we can think, say or do that would be new to Him. There's no crisis or calamity of mankind that He hasn't witnessed before. He created everything we know for one purpose and put it into the hands of the mankind that He created and intended for one purpose. There's a verse, Revelation 4:11 that speaks to my heart most succinctly in the King James version:
"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." (emphasis mine)
Sovereign and Holy God never intended for us to allow Him to be pushed to the back corner of anyone's mind. He created us for His own pleasure. He intended for us to live in relationship with Him and to continually hold the first and foremost position of our minds. He's offered us the undeserved high honor, reward and position of personal relationship with God Himself and He's repeatedly demonstrated His desire for us.
I tell you these ARE sadly, ordinary days. But even now while we wander through them, the endless and hopeful lover of mankind waits with patient longing for our response. In everything that He's done from man's first breath, He's courted the very mankind that He fashioned with His own hand with great love and intent. In everything that He's done, in everything that He's sacrificed, and through all of the horrible things that He's suffered at the hand of mankind that He loves, He's worked to win the adoration, devotion, gratitude and constant attention of the man-child He created. He's kept His word and makes good on every promise He makes. He's rescued, restored, healed, protected and set free. He's created, provided, patiently corrected and forgiven since man began... But what have we given to Him in return?
36“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40 (NLT)
These days, we may be buffeted and tried by the multitude of things that seek to contend with us and threaten us, but waiting patiently is the one constant whose greatest intention and desire from the beginning was and is always to love us with an unbridled and righteous passion. To Him, these days have come and gone before and as they continue to revolve, their one purpose is to bring us to remember the one single source of our everything - the One who made us for Himself. We have one purpose to have lived and one intended goal. I pray that we come to serve it with the same single minded intention that we've been shown in these ordinary days.
17“For the LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. 18 He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. 19 So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. 20 You must fear the LORD your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone. 21He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes." Deuteronomy 10:17-21 (NLT)
For those who love truly Him, even if the worst should come to our flesh in a moment that our hearts might fear, are we not watched over by our all in all and guaranteed by our greatest love to be resurrected with Christ? Even death cannot overtake us because of what He's done for us. While we live, so does our purpose and we serve it at His great pleasure. Let us live now even while the world trembles, remembering all that He's done and who He Himself serves with great kindness and humility out of His passionate affection. Let's not forget why we're here or who it is that watches over us. We're not lost or forgotten for a single moment. So keep tight hold of your peace and return His passion in all that He's done and continues to do while passing through these ordinary days.
"No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 (NLT)
Many shops, factories and businesses have been forced to close their doors. Millions of people are wondering what comes next while waiting in seclusion to avoid the possibility of contracting a virus, while many others fight to overcome it. In the world of humanity, for many, these days seem anything but ordinary... But in fact they are.
Since the world began and man was created, mankind's always, every moment, been completely reliant and totally dependent on one source for provision, healing and even for the very breath of life. It's not a fact that some puffed up in their pride are willing to admit - choosing instead to tout their self reliance and remaining steadfast in their scoffing at the notion. Others may be aware of the fact, but let it become crowded by other thoughts and concerns, forcing it into a back corner of their mind to be recalled at a later time - when they have more time.
While the multitude of the generations of man rise and fall and the earth spins in its seemingly endless preordained circles, the God of Heaven watches. The very same sovereign God who wields such terrifying power as was necessary to create everything we know, including us, has seen every convolution of man's societies from the beginning to the end. He's witnesses all of the attitudes, ambitions, flailings and events of man over many, many, many generations. To Him, these days are sadly ordinary, He's seen them repeated so many times before.
At this late day, there's nothing that we can think, say or do that would be new to Him. There's no crisis or calamity of mankind that He hasn't witnessed before. He created everything we know for one purpose and put it into the hands of the mankind that He created and intended for one purpose. There's a verse, Revelation 4:11 that speaks to my heart most succinctly in the King James version:
"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." (emphasis mine)
Sovereign and Holy God never intended for us to allow Him to be pushed to the back corner of anyone's mind. He created us for His own pleasure. He intended for us to live in relationship with Him and to continually hold the first and foremost position of our minds. He's offered us the undeserved high honor, reward and position of personal relationship with God Himself and He's repeatedly demonstrated His desire for us.
I tell you these ARE sadly, ordinary days. But even now while we wander through them, the endless and hopeful lover of mankind waits with patient longing for our response. In everything that He's done from man's first breath, He's courted the very mankind that He fashioned with His own hand with great love and intent. In everything that He's done, in everything that He's sacrificed, and through all of the horrible things that He's suffered at the hand of mankind that He loves, He's worked to win the adoration, devotion, gratitude and constant attention of the man-child He created. He's kept His word and makes good on every promise He makes. He's rescued, restored, healed, protected and set free. He's created, provided, patiently corrected and forgiven since man began... But what have we given to Him in return?
36“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40 (NLT)
These days, we may be buffeted and tried by the multitude of things that seek to contend with us and threaten us, but waiting patiently is the one constant whose greatest intention and desire from the beginning was and is always to love us with an unbridled and righteous passion. To Him, these days have come and gone before and as they continue to revolve, their one purpose is to bring us to remember the one single source of our everything - the One who made us for Himself. We have one purpose to have lived and one intended goal. I pray that we come to serve it with the same single minded intention that we've been shown in these ordinary days.
17“For the LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. 18 He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. 19 So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. 20 You must fear the LORD your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone. 21He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes." Deuteronomy 10:17-21 (NLT)
For those who love truly Him, even if the worst should come to our flesh in a moment that our hearts might fear, are we not watched over by our all in all and guaranteed by our greatest love to be resurrected with Christ? Even death cannot overtake us because of what He's done for us. While we live, so does our purpose and we serve it at His great pleasure. Let us live now even while the world trembles, remembering all that He's done and who He Himself serves with great kindness and humility out of His passionate affection. Let's not forget why we're here or who it is that watches over us. We're not lost or forgotten for a single moment. So keep tight hold of your peace and return His passion in all that He's done and continues to do while passing through these ordinary days.
"No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 (NLT)
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