Live Free with Josh Howerton - Ordinary People, Extraordinary God | Ep. 235 | Friday, December 29, 2023

Episode Date: December 29, 2023

God chooses the ordinary to do extraordinary things so His power can be magnified. When the King was welcomed into the world, only ordinary people surrounded Him: a teenage girl, a poor carpenter, and lowly shepherds. Yet, all of them were chosen by God to play an extraordinary role in His story. God doesn’t ask us to be impressive but to be thankful and faithful. For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

Thanks for tuning in to today's Daily Drive with Lake Point Church, a daily dose of God's Word for your morning drive. When the word, not the world, becomes the majority of your week, your life will start to change. For that reason, our prayer is that God will speak to you through today's devotional. For more digital content to feed your faith, visit lakepoint.comit. And now let's dive in to today's devotional. A welcome to the Daily Drive's final episode of 2023. You know, we fired up this podcast this past February, and it has been an absolute blast and privilege to get to hang with you for just a few minutes every weekday.

So thanks for building this into the rhythm of your life this year, and man, I am looking forward to pursuing God together in 2024. My name is Mike, by the way, and we have been focused this week on a young girl named Mary, who was chosen to be the mom of Jesus. Now, some of you may have been taught different things about Mary depending upon your religious background, but what we know of her from Scripture is that she was an ordinary girl with the kind of humility that God finds impressive. In fact, did you know that humility is the thing that makes God stand back smile and say, whoa, now that's, that's impressive. So in that respect, Mary was extremely impressive.

And I love how God chooses the ordinary to do extraordinary things. In fact, all the cast of characters in the Christmas story were, well, let's say, extra ordinary. Mary, her blue-collar car heartwear and husband Joseph, the birthing room is a cave complete with sheep, donkeys, oxen manure, flies, spiders, the visitors are strangers who smell like all those animals. They're not scrubbed up. They're not mask up in any way. They're just some curious shepherds who have been told. to go find a baby in a manger.

Everything was so extra ordinary. We've been reading this verse all week, and it comes from Luke chapter 2, verse 19, and it says this, but Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Lying there in that cave, in spite of the physical exhaustion,

in spite of the stressful circumstances, in spite of the extra ordinary surroundings, she treasures and ponderes the extraordinary thing that God is doing in the moment. We've talked this week about how, like Mary, you and I need to soak in more moments, reflect more, cherish more, take more pictures in our minds, save her what is happening around us and in us. We read a portion of a song that Mary writes where she just sings over her moments. Right after she receives the news of being chosen by God, a song of gratitude just flows out of

heart. And you can read it in Luke chapter 1 verses 46 through 55. It is such a cool spoken word kind of piece that just reflects her humility. And we talked about how you and I, we ought whine a lot less and sing a lot more. And there was a really simple verse that we read yesterday about how when the angel Gabriel initially breaks the news to Mary, she's a little freaked out by it all. So much so he has to say, Mary, don't be afraid. And then she starts peppering him with all kinds of how, when, what if, kinds of questions. But then she lands with this. She says, simply,

well, I'm the Lord's servant. May everything you said about me come true. And she surrenders her moments. So as we bring this year to a close, what are some moments you've experienced this year? I mean, think back. Maybe even scroll through the photos on your phone or check out your memories on social media.

Just reflect back. Write them down. Maybe make a list of people that you encounter. along the way or places that you got to go or encouraging text that you have received this year maybe even write down some unexpected ways that you've seen God grow you up just do a little treasuring a little pondering over the next few days and then why not pick out a song to sing today a song of gratitude now you don't need to sing like Adele or chris stapled and just get by yourself and sing a song from your heart that flows with thankfulness to God it could be your

favorite worship song that you hit play on and just sing along to, or maybe even write one. You don't even have to be musical. You don't have to attach notes to it. Just write out some lyrics from your heart. Sometimes I'll just write a little piece of prose. It kind of starts out as a prayer. And then before long, I just get on a roll. And things are just spilling out of my soul with rhyme and rhythm. Just give it a shot. I mean, it's just you and God anyway. And the goal is to express gratitude for what he has done in your life this past year, through all the good things and through all the tough things. And then perhaps say to him, God, thank you so much for walking with me this past year. Father, thank you for the ways that you have directed my path

and determined my steps. Thanks for being such a rock for me. Thank you for your unexplainable peace, your unfailing love, your unshakable presence. So, Father, as I bring this year to a close, and I think about 2024, once again I just want to say to you, I'm your servant and I surrender to your leadership. Gang yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That's why they call it the present. Unwrap it, soak in it, sing over it,

and surrender all your moments to God, and just see what he's got in store for you. Hey, I'll see you next year. Have a great day. Thanks for tuning in today. For more biblical teaching and worship, join us for our church online live weekend services on Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 9.30 and 11 a.m. Central Standard Time.

Also, if this podcast was helpful to you, would you be sure to rate, review, and share this podcast to help get the word out? For more information about all digital ministries of Lake Point, visit lakepoint.compt.com. church slash daily drive.