And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
he is god of the ordinary Published week of december 6, 2020
Have you ever felt insignificant? We live in a world inhabited by some 7.8 billion people going in all directions. Our society is cluttered with news and issues, both political and social, that can be overwhelming and astounding at times. Sometimes we feel our voice is unimportant and our life is just ordinary. Well, take heart! Scripture makes it clear that even the most powerful forces on this planet, without their knowledge or cooperation, are under the guidance of a sovereign God who is using them for His glory.
There is perhaps no story in history that makes this truth clearer than the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ. God used the Roman Empire to get a poor, young Jewish couple from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Why? So that the prophecies written hundreds of years prior about the Messiah would be fulfilled. One such prophecy declared that He must be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), yet He must be from Nazareth (Mark 1:9). God would divinely orchestrate these events through Caesar Augustus and his census (Luke 2:1-ff).
Who was it that received the news of Christ’s arrival first? It was not kings or priests, nor the wealthy and well-known. God chose to send a choir of angels to give a concert to a group of shepherds in the fields. The birth announcement of the King of kings and Lord of lords was delivered to ordinary, hard-working, humble people. Notice the angel heralded that a Savior had been born to you . . . you who are lowly, poor, ordinary, dirty, overlooked and forgotten . . . He is your Savior, too.
Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” This verse reminds us that our God is the God of the ordinary man. This is a comforting truth, knowing that unbeknownst to every king, ruler, president or general in the world, the decisions they make are decisions that accomplish His will. He does it so that His children will be conformed to the image of His Son.
Father, I give You praise, honor and glory for the greatest gift in the world – Jesus Christ my Savior. Thank you for coming to even the ordinary. Your holiness, majesty and might deserved a throne in heaven, but You chose a feeding trough in a stable so that I might know You. Thank You for Your love, grace and forgiveness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
