Day 293 - Luke 1-2

ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 293 - Luke 1-2 (God Uses Ordinary People)
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"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." (Luke 2:8-12)

There is a song I love entitled Ordinary People.  Here's part of the lyrics from that song:  

God uses ordinary people.
He chooses people just like me and you,
who are willing to do as He commands.
God uses people that will give Him all,
no matter how small your all may seem to you;
because little becomes much 
as you place it in the Master's hand. 

After reading Luke chapters 1 and 2, God has impressed this theme in my mind about how God uses ordinary people.  I have listed below five individuals and one group of people who are very ordinary and yet received the highest honor imagineable from God.  It just goes to show that indeed, God uses ordinary people just like you and me who are completely surrendered to God.

Joseph - Of all the men in Israel at the time of the incarnation of God in the form of a fetus in the womb, Joseph was chosen to be the step - father- to the Christ who of course was boen of the virgin Mary.  Joseph was a carpenter from Nazareth who was betrothed to Mary.  He was a righteous man who struggled with the thought that his wife was unfaithful.  Joseph finally accepted the truth that the child in Mary's womb was born by the Holy Spirit after the angel appeared to him.

Mary - She is called blessed among all women for being chosen as the mother of the Messiah.  The angel Gabriel told Mary she was highly favored by God and that the Lord was with her.  When Mary found out that her cousin Elizabeth was also pregnant, she traveled most likely by herself from Galilee to Judah to be with her for three months.  There is no indication at all from the Bible that Mary was more than ordinary.

John the Baptist - The son born to Elizabeth the cousin of Mary, John was described by Jesus as being the greatest man that ever lived on earth.  John lived in the desert throughout his adult life wearing camel's hair and eating locusts and wild honey.

Shepherds - They were the first group of people to hear of the announcement by an angel about the birth of Jesus.  One thing is sure about shepherds - they did not live in comfort and style.  On the contrary, they usually slept with their sheep in order to guard them from predators and thieves.

Simeon - At the presentation of the baby Jesus in the Temple, Simeon had the high honor of lifting Jesus in his arms to God and blessing Joseph and Mary.  It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Christ. Simeon is mentioned only one time in the Bible and nothing else is said about him except that he was a just and devout man full of the Holy Spirit.

Anna - She was given the honor to be present with Simeon at the presentation of the baby Jesus.  She spoke of Him to those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem (Luke 2:36-38).  All we know about Anna is that she was an eighty-four year old widow who did not depart from the Temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.