(Inspired by the Christmas story as recorded in Luke 1 & 2.)

Key Verse

…All things are possible for one who believes. (‭‭Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬ ‭ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬)

When was the last time you experienced an extraordinary day? Perhaps you were the recipient of a generous gift at a time when you desperately needed it. Or maybe you had an encounter with a stranger that led to an unexpected blessing. Or perhaps, after years of hoping and believing, you received a specific answer to prayer. Whatever your unique scenario may be, the truth is when the “extra” intersects with our “ordinary” it is nothing less than extraordinary. And we witness this reality repeatedly throughout the Christmas story.

Meet Zechariah

Zechariah is the first character we meet in Luke’s Christmas narrative, (Luke 1:1-25). The following is what we learn from him. He was a priest. He was married to Elizabeth, and together they lived righteously and obediently before God. Yet despite a lifetime of hoping and praying that Yahweh would bless them with a child, Elizabeth had never conceived, and they were both old.

But God…

But God who hears the prayers of His people, had a miraculous plan for this committed couple that exceeded anything they’d hoped for. And it was this precise reason that God sent Gabriel, His messenger, to deliver a message to Zechariah on one seemingly ordinary, yet extraordinary day.

As Zechariah entered the Lord’s temple, He was met by an angelic being, delivering a God-sized extraordinary message: “Zechariah, …your prayer has been heard, your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, you shall call his name John. [Y]ou will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord” (Luke 1:13 & 14 ESV)

Nine months later Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist (Luke 1:57-66).

Meet Mary

Mary is the second character we meet in Luke’s Christmas narrative. The facts concerning her are widely known. She was a teenager. She was engaged to Joseph, and she was a virgin. In that day and time there was obviously nothing incredibly unique about Mary’s personal profile. Yet, she did possess one distinguishing factor that set her apart from many others at that time, as it does still today. God was with her, and because of this she had favor, and not just with anyone. Instead, Mary found favor with God, and this was no small detail.

In fact, these very words were included in the opening statement of an extraordinary message she received from an angel on one seemingly ordinary day.

“Mary, you have found favor with God. You will conceive and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33)

Nine months later Mary gave birth to Jesus the Messiah (Luke 2:1-7).

Meet The Shepherds

The Shepherds are the third in the lineup of characters introduced in Luke’s narrative. Although they play a lesser role, still they play a significant part in the Christmas story. You see, shepherds at that time were among the lowest of society. However, they were chosen by God to herald the arrival of the Messiah, an indication that the good news would be for all people.

On one seemingly ordinary evening, as these men were out in the fields guarding sheep per their usual, an angel appeared, delivering some rather extraordinary news.

“I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David. And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

In response to this good news, the Shepherds went at once to Bethlehem and were the first to see Jesus, the promised Messiah (Luke 2:8-18).

Meet Simeon and Anna

Last, but certainly not least, meet Simeon and Anna, the final characters included in Luke’s narrative. Although we don’t know much about these two elderly individuals, we do know they were both dedicated pray-ers.

In fact, Simeon had received a Spirit-inspired revelation that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. And on one seemingly ordinary day, these seasoned saints just happened to enter the temple at the precise time Mary and Joseph arrived with their infant son, Jesus.

Overwhelmed by this extraordinary encounter, Simeon took Jesus in his arms and offered a prayer of thanks to God. Likewise, Anna, overjoyed by all she had witnessed, began praising God and immediately telling everyone that the “Promised One” had indeed arrived!

In closing, it would be easy to gloss over these individual narratives as nothing more than seasonal readings. Yet, they are far more than that. Instead, these stories serve as life lessons that remind and inspire us today. They remind us that God is with us, for us, loves us, sees us and hears us. And they inspire us to remain faithful in our ordinary, for at any given moment, at a time we least expect it, we too could encounter the Divine, transforming our seemingly ordinary into a truly extraordinary day.

Pray

Gracious Father, I marvel at your works and ways. I am inspired as I remember that you alone can and do, transform ordinary into extraordinary. Thank you for the myriads of ways you are at work in the world. I pray for a fresh vision for what you are doing in my life, and in the lives of those around me. In Jesus’s name I pray, amen.

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Community Question of the Week

Can you recall a time when a seemingly ordinary day was transformed into something rather extraordinary?

Encourage others with your response HERE!