Faith in the Ordinary – A new series of Devotionals From the Edges.

Beginning a new series of devotionals today based on Living Life in the Ordinary. Our life seems to be so focused on the highs and the main points of life. In these times we are either completely focused on God and love God or in the lows distanced from God at times even mad at God. I hope and pray that we can come to a steady pace of being a follower of Jesus – From the Edges of our lives. As always I welcome conversation to these daily thoughts.

Faithfulness in the Ordinary –

July 16, 2025

Prepared by Pastor Calvin Cook

Scripture – “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”  Galatians 6:9

In the church liturgical calendar, we are in season that is commonly referred to as Ordinary Time. This is the time that fills the space between Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. It is a long stretch of time and at times for any who follow the daily liturgical readings, it is sometime not taken as seriously as the other seasons of the year are.

Even though there are no real stories of Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Birth, Death, Resurrection and the start of the church through the Holy Spirit, it should still be a very reflective time for us where we dig in deeper in the practice of our Spiritual disciplines. It should be a reminder that it isn’t all about the mountaintop experiences or the fire of revival. But being called deeper it should still include the Spiritual Disciplines, and repetitive displays of our faith and fulfilling the promise and commitments we have made especially to God.

This season calls us to be rooted deeper, find refreshment, and renewal. While keeping our focus on the Great Commission.

Think on this – Jesus spent 30 years of His life in what we might consider “ordinary time”. In that time as a son, student, carpenter, friend, and neighbor he was being anything but ordinary. But instead, I want to look at it as a direction on the pathway of life.  Jesus was preparing for what was coming. Are we? Or do we deal with it when it happens kind of people.

Here is what I would ask us to consider – In this time – may we continue to prepare our hearts, minds, and souls to be living extra ordinary lives in Christ Jesus. Are we willing to do something different to grow more in our faith or are we satisfied with the ordinary.

I am going to offer you a daily action step to consider and would like to encourage you to consider these. Remember one step forward is always better than one step backwards.

• Establish a daily rhythm: Morning Scripture, prayers through out the day, even if they are minute prayers or breath prayers. Reading more than a verse of scripture, but open randomly the Bible to a place and read the page it opens to, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Live lives of gratitude, thankful for what you have, not focused on what you want.

One thing I hope we will realize through these times of devotion will be that it will be a time of deep look into our own lives and realize how much we are missing.

Have a day full of Jesus and be the image of Christ to the world.