Ordinary

In 1998 there was a country song called “Ordinary Life” by Chad Brock. Now I don’t listen to country music anymore, save for some classics—I prefer classical. However, the message of this song bears sketching. In the song, a man grows tired of going to church, cutting the grass, going to work, etc. He tires of his ordinary life. So he leaves his family only to realize his ordinary life was pretty good and he missed it.

Some Christians tire of the ordinary life in following Jesus. They long for something great or some great extraordinary experience. Someone once said, “unlike those most useless persons in Christian circles who are always waiting for great things to do, and who neglect the opportunities which lie to their hand, …let us do the little which lay to hand, and find that by doing the ‘next thing’ life becomes rich in opportunities for usefulness.”

Now to be clear, Christianity is by nature extraordinary, conversion is a miracle, our life is lived by the Spirit. Yet at the same time, following Jesus is a cumulation of ordinary things. Even Jesus, when instituting the Lord’s Supper, took bread and the cup and gave an OC festival (itself instituted on ordinary things), new meaning. We call these ordinary things like Baptism and the Lord’s Supper ‘means of grace.’ In them the Lord has taken something ordinary and clad it with meaning so when we in faith do them we are blessed. The Lord’s Day, prayer, reading the Bible, pursuing holiness, serving, fellowshipping with believers, etc, these all are ordinary and yet yield much fruit over time.

A recent question by a guest preacher reminded me of this growth. He asked what the church had looked for when they called me. Only one couple could answer because everyone else had come during those 5 years. One by one, ordinary growth, preaching 100 sermons a year and other ordinary ministerial duties of our people.
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So do not tire of the ordinary means of grace. They are how the Lord ordinarily works and blesses His Church. Let us do them faithfully and regularly and see what the Lord will do.