“Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. ‘This is one of the Hebrew babies,’ she said.” Exodus 2:5-6 (NIV)
Bathing—it’s a run-of-the-mill, everyday, normal, somewhat mundane activity. For the most part, it’s not something during which you would expect the miraculous to occur.
I don’t imagine Pharaoh’s daughter expected any events of consequence to take place during her ordinary task.
And yet…
In the midst of her ordinary, God used her in his magnificent plan for his people.
Do you and I believe God can use us in the middle of our mundane tasks? Do we miss God-appointments because we’re too hurried, trying to make it through the routine to get to what we believe is the more important?
What if that trip to the grocery store contains a moment with a stranger which could impact her for eternity? What if that disciplinary chat with a little one holds the seeds of leadership in his maturity? What if that waiting in the doctor’s office is meant to be a life-saving breath of encouragement for the one seated next to us?
I’ll be the first to admit that I tend to look on ordinary tasks as objects of complaint. I forget to lift my head from the drudgery and therefore I miss what’s going on around me. I fail to look beyond my own agenda to anticipate what God might want to do through me in that ordinary moment.
My challenge for all of us this week is to walk with eyes wide open in the midst of ordinary.
Lisa is wife to one Army Chaplain, homeschool mom to two beautiful teen girls, editor, writer, dark chocolate fanatic, Jane Austen reader, and sometimes crossword puzzle worker. After living in Indiana for the past 16 years, her family was recently transferred by the Army to Fort Hood, Texas where she is learning to say ya’ll. You can find her at her blog, The Army Chap’s Wife, and her editing website, For Love of Words.
URLs for my sites: http://thearmychapswife.net and http://forloveofwords.net
Comments 8
Thanks for reminding us that God often uses the ordinary to bring about the extraordinary. Great devotional, Lisa.
Thanks Dana! It was such a good reminder to myself!
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The ordinary is sometimes the hardest place to find God, Lisa. Thanks so much for this. You’re a blessing! 😉
I agree, Mesu. Lisa, that was such a lovely reminder:)
God-appointments ~ absolutely love those!!
So, Lisa, I see from your bio that your family recently moved to my homeland of Texas! I’m living in Oregon these days, but I always carry Texas in my heart. So, real quick let me fill you in on a couple important things.
In addition to saying “y’all,” you gotta learn the importance of the phrase(s) “bless your/her/his/their heart.” There’s a wonderful post written by Sandra Poole and Jennifer Youngblood if you need any help with that one.
And, if you and your family drink Coke (which can refer to multiple flavors of soda or pop, but do not call it that…), my nephew works for Coca Cola and makes regular deliveries to Ft Hood so y’all are in good hands in that department.
Don’t even get me started on the subject of BBQ or we could be here for DAYS! Take a look on Facebook at “I Am a Texan” and you’ll see what I mean!
If anybody isn’t nice to you, give me a call ’cause I got friends there in low places!! LOL!
But, seriously, welcome to Texas! Hope y’all enjoy your time there.
Becky, we’re actually originally from Oregon! We are looking into getting back up to the northwest when we’re finished with our time at Ft. Hood. We spent many years in Indiana (which is where I met Mesu!) but my husband and I both consider the West Coast “home.”
Lisa, I hope you all enjoy your time in Ft Hood. It would be great to get to meet you someday if you all move back up this way.
Thanks for the reminder to look for opportunities even in the everyday things. It’s something I’m working on and those times when I do slow down I am blessed. Linda