Redeeming the Ordinary

It's the day after Easter.  My heart still rejoices over the wonder, the glory, the miracle of Christ's resurrection. Might we never get over it and continually remember, rejoice and repeat what the Savior did for us-- 

Surely it would be enough that He--Almighty God--simply came to earth to be one of us. To live with us, help us, speak to us, show us the path of blessedness on this broken planet.  That's more than enough...and yet...

Surely it would be enough that He not only came, but that He lived a perfect life. A perfect life we never could have lived nor ever deserved, and He lived that life in our place.  That's much more than enough...and yet....

Surely it would be enough that He willingly went to the cross to die an excruciating death, bearing all our sin, shame, and selfishness. And in His death, He gave us His righteousness in exchange for the unbearable and hideous weight of all sin for all time. That's far, far more than enough...and yet...

For the glorious, gracious Son of God, that was still not enough. For Jesus not only died to save us; He rose from the dead in order to secure for us eternal, abundant resurrection life. His purity for our pride. His righteousness for our rebellion. His death for our deliverance. And His new resurrection life that would give us eternal life and a forever perfect home in the glories of heaven. 

Who can fathom such a love...such a spotless, gentle Lamb...such a glorious, omnipotent Lion? Yet that---and infinitely more--is our Savior, our Deliverer, our Good Shepherd, our King. 

Easter Day might be over, but let's don't allow its wonder to dissipate in the busyness and grind of "ordinary" life. Because Jesus came in the midst of ordinary life to redeem sinners like you and me, mired in the mud and messiness of our own ordinary lives. He was born in a smelly stable full of ordinary animals. He grew up in an ordinary peasant family. He chose twelve ordinary disciples like fisherman and accountants. He ministered to and among ordinary folks who dealt with the same ordinary problems, perplexities, limitations, joys, and sorrows confronting us. He died on an ordinary wooden cross in-between two ordinary criminals. 

But on Easter morning, Jesus' ordinary was over, while our ordinary was radically redeemed and transformed. For in the midst of our ordinary lives, Jesus has come, has conquered, is constantly with us, and has promised He's coming again. No matter what's going on in our lives or in the world, Jesus is alive. He is King. And He will not only redeem and restore our bodies and souls, but He will do it to the entire cosmos! 

Tim Keller expressed it so beautifully, "Ordinary life is what's going to be redeemed. There is nothing better than ordinary life, except that it's always going away and always falling apart. Ordinary life is food and work and chairs by the fire and hugs and dancing and mountains--this world. God loves it so much that He gave His only Son so we--and the rest of this ordinary world--could be redeemed and made perfect. And that's what is in store for us." 

So Easter might be over and it might feel like an ordinary Monday, but never forget, we have an extraordinary Savior who conquered sin and death. Right at this moment, He is alive. He is present. He is powerful. And He is, even now, redeeming our ordinary lives and our ordinary world into something unimaginably, eternally extraordinary. 

To God be the glory forever.

Remember Who Your Daddy is!

 There’s nothing like a little snowstorm—or two—to remind you that there is One who is sovereign and in control of all things…and it’s not you. 

What a relief.

Sometimes we forget, don’t we? Or at least I sure do. And when I forget, before I know it, I’m fretting and fussing. Wringing my hands in fruitless worry and scheming how on earth to manhandle the uncontrollable future. Which of course, I cannot do…which leads to more fretting and frustration. I’m such a slow learner. 

But then, in His stunning mercy and grace, our loving Lord reminds me yet again of who He is—omnipotent and omniscient. Infinite in His love and forgiveness. Constant in His care and compassion. Forever steadfast in His faithfulness and goodness. 

He is the awesome Creator, Sustainer, Deliverer, Redeemer. The Living Water, the Bread of Life, the Good Shepherd, the Light of the World, the Way, the Truth and the Life. 

He never runs low, never fails to accomplish that which He plans, never grows weary or tired. He never gives up on us, never leaves or forsakes us, never treats us as our sins deserve, never stops loving us.   

And that perfect, glorious, all-powerful, all-loving one is our Heavenly Father. Don’t just read that. Pause and really ponder that. The One who flung the stars into space, holds the planets in place, and upholds the universe by the word of His power, is our God. Our Abba. Our Daddy. 

“When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba, Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir.” Gal.4:4-7

Oh Father, how quickly I, Your faltering, forgetful child, fail to remember! 

I fail to remember who You are and what You can do. “Ahl Lord God, it is You who made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You!” Jeremiah 32:17 

And I forget who I am—your little child. A sinner…but a sinner saved solely by Your amazing grace.  I could never earn it or deserve it. In fact, put me at the top of the list when it comes to sinning, worrying, doubting, fretting, failing. And something tells me I’m not alone at the top of that list!  

Yet, incredibly, God loved us so much that He sent His one and Only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) As Tim Keller often shared: “The gospel says you are simultaneously more sinful and flawed than you ever dared believe, yet more loved and accepted than you ever dared hope.”

We are not orphans. We are not on our own. And praise God, we are not in control. We have a Heavenly Daddy, and He has us.  He has the situations that keep us up on night. He has those we love in the palm of His hand. He has the future that worries us; He has the past that sometimes haunts us; and He has the present that is His gift to us right now. 

It is all His, and He promises in His unbreakable, unstoppable Word that all, all, all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. (Rom.8:28). 

So yes, the weather has been a bit disruptive. Yes, we are not in control. But just want to remind you—as I’ve reminded myself—our Heavenly Father is in complete control, and we are safe in His hands, His ways, and His plans.

Thank You, Abba. Thank You for the stunning beauty of this world You created. Thank you for the beauty of snow, and how winter and every season reveals Your glory in unique ways. Thank You that we are Your beloved children. Please help us to remember as we trust and rest in You. Amen.

To God—who is also our Heavenly Father (Praise Him!)—be the glory.