Friday, October 11, 2013

A Thank-You Card to Jesus


Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8

Nobody writes much about where you grew up, your home, your clothes, your shoes, your school.  I mean, we don’t even know very much about your childhood at all, except for the time you talked to the rabbis in the temple – when your parents thought they’d lost you. So I guess most of it really wasn’t worth mentioning.  I mean, it was probably all kind of ordinary back in those times. 

But one day, you started calling people to you.  Disciples.  They were ordinary men, but you saw something special in them, didn’t you?  You saw who they were going to be.  You had big plans for them. 

Then you started teaching.  And Jesus, this is the best part.  You used stories about ordinary people and ordinary lives to teach your extraordinary message of love, of forgiveness, of the Kingdom of Heaven.   
Thank you.  Even if I don’t count the miracles of healing and transformation, even if I don’t count your resurrection, even if I don’t count all of the supernatural, God-parts of your life – you showed me something.  You showed me how very extra-ordinary life can be.  You showed me the holy in the every day.  You showed me God in the ordinary.  You showed me grace.  Amazing grace.

But I can’t discount your God-side.  Because you are.  The Way.  The Truth.  The Life.  So you didn’t have to do what you did.  You didn’t have to live, walk, breathe, eat, sleep, laugh, and cry.  You didn’t have to suffer the punishment and death of an ordinary criminal.  But you did.  For us.  For me.  And that made everything extraordinary.


Jesus, thank you.

Linking with Lisa at Five-Minute Friday

16 comments:

  1. So glad God uses the ordinary!

    PS I like the windmill in the background! :)

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    1. Hi Jessica - me too! But I'm not sure anything is really ordinary to/with Him, is it? The windmill - is my picture of Holland. Long story, but my daughter has Down Syndrome, and there's another mother who wrote a wonderful analogy called "Welcome to Holland" about what it feels like when you have a child with extra needs...
      Here's the link... http://thenextstep1991.blogspot.com/2013/03/welcome-to-holland.html

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    2. Wow :)
      Have you read any of Gillian Marchenko's blog? She also just released a book called Sun Shine Down.

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    3. I just looked her up - I'll add her blog link to the list in my Down Syndrome tab and I'm going to have to read that book! Thanks!

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    4. Thank you, Kathleen - I think about what Jesus' life was like, a lot - and it always makes me even more thankful... I know 'amazing grace' has become cliche, but it IS amazing! In so many ways...starting with the life of an ordinary man who really wasn't very ordinary at all. I'm glad you could visit. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  2. This is beautiful! Through His ordinary extraordinary life, He saved me and the world! Blessings!

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    1. Yup - if his life hadn't been ordinary, it would never have become extraordinary. It's like rich/poor, first/last, and all those other opposites. They are all resolved in Jesus - God's perfect plan. Pretty cool, huh?

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  3. You created a wonderful imagery with your words. God doesn't create ordinary. He is an AWESOME God who created us in His image. We are AWESOME! Followed you from FMF. Have a blessed day!

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    1. In His image - no one can be ordinary, can they? I'm always in awe of this - in His image.... Amazing! Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend.

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  4. Dear Janet
    It always amazes me that our God who really didn't need to do all the ordinary things like eating, drinking and sleeping did these things in any case because of love and the joy of being with the ones He treasures so much!
    Blessings XX
    Mia

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    1. Dear Mia - me too, it amazes me too! Happy weekend!

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  5. What a beautiful idea. Thank you for this profound post.

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    1. Thank you, Debbie - This was a profound prompt! I'm glad you could visit - have a great weekend.

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  6. I am thanking Him right along with you. I am thanking Him for taking my ordinary life and making it something extraordinary for His glory. Transformation of all things ordinary to something extraordinary is His specialty. Blessings to you! Love, Rachael @ Inking the heart

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    1. Yes. I really do want to glorify God with my life - Jesus definitely is the Way... Thanks for coming by -

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