Unsatisfied with the Ordinary

I heard this phrase in an ad today regarding teaching ESL in Asia. It made me think: am I satisfied with the ordinary? It is something so easy to do--getting too comfortable with the way things are. I have found in my own life that God seems to always start changing things up when I start getting "satisfied" with the ordinary. A year and half ago, God called me to seminary; away from everything that was familiar. Now seminary has become the new ordinary. I take it for granted because it is what I am used to. Its amazing how quickly things become routine.

But is this the way it is supposed to be? As a child of God, I don't think so. We should never be satisfied with a life of complacency. This is not to say that we should not be content (because we should!) but we should be always reaching towards the prize (Philippians 3:14)--towards Christlikeness in character and action. We should always be listening for God's leading and watching for Him at work around us. We should always be ready and willing to "go."

Anyway I will stop my rambling...this week is very busy. Two tests, lots of reading, teaching a lesson (!), serving at church and whatever else the Lord has in store. I completed my lesson plan for Titus 2:6-10. I am focusing on the need for Christians to be an example with their words. I believe this is the area of our lives that we become the laziest in. Whether sarcasm (guilty!), criticizing, complaining or the like, we need to be careful of what we are communicating. As Christians we are teachers and we are teaching somebody, whether we realize it or not. The book of Proverbs and James have much to say on this topic.

Finally, I would like to share something I came across in the book I am reading about the Reformers. This is the first time I have been really exposed to them which has it ups (I am not completely blind to their faults and do not regard them too highly as some do) and downs (they taught and explained some great truths from Scripture). Currently, I am learning about John Calvin. This is what he had to say on why Christ is and had to be God:

"for it was His task to swallow up death. Who but Life could do this? It was His task to conquer sin. Who but very Righteousness could do this? It was His task rout the powers of the world and air. Who but a power higher than the world and air could do this? Therefore our most merciful God, when He willed that we be redeemed, made Himself our Redeemer in the person of His only-begotten Son."

We serve an extra-ordinary God!