Extraordinary Outcomes From Ordinary Steps

Sometimes, the most ordinary actions lead to extraordinary outcomes. A courageous person runs errands and find themselves in a position to save people from a burning building. A generous person sees someone in real need and starts a fundraising project that unexpectedly draws in donors from around the world.

I Samuel 9:15-16 says, “Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed to Samuel: ‘Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.'” Saul took one step of faith, going out to search for his father’s lost donkeys. But God was leading him to the prophet Samuel, where Samuel anointed Saul as king over Israel to save Israel. God directs our ordinary steps of faith to accomplish extraordinary works of God. So go about your ordinary tasks today looking for God to do something extraordinary.

New App

When I download a new app for my phone or computer, a steep learning curve begins. I try to understand and use the app as best as I can. But over time, I can forget some of the tools imbedded in the app, losing some of the effectiveness of the app. These tools were placed in the app so that I could maximize its benefits.

Psalm 103:2-5 says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” The psalmist gave us a list of amazing benefits that the LORD gives those who walk with Him. Any one of these benefits is enough to cause the faithful person to shout with overflowing joy.

Wholehearted Search

I admit that when I am looking for something around the house, my search is usually halfhearted. If I don’t find it immediately, I know that my wife can and will. She knows where every little thing is. She will find, what I can’t, because my search is dependent upon her.

Deuteronomy 4:29 says, “But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.” The search for God requires an exclusive and total devotion to Him. We cannot expect to find Him while we are chasing other pursuits of the heart and soul.

Wanting To Be Great

The world tells us that we should promote ourselves to become great. Now, social media is full of self-promoters spouting all sorts of foolishness and doing all kinds of foolish acts. God has a different standard for leadership.

In Matthew 20:26-28 Jesus says, “It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Servant leadership is the measuring stick that Jesus uses to evaluate leaders. Evidence of servant leadership should be how we evaluate the leadership we choose to follow and the leadership that we offer others.

Waiting For Help

Have you ever asked someone for help but got tired of waiting for their help to come, so you proceeded without their help. We do this with God. We ask for help or wisdom but then get frustrated in waiting for the answer to our prayer and just move forward on our own. Ezra and the people of God fasted and implored God for protection on their journey. They could have ask the king for soldiers to protect them, but they waited upon God.

Ezra 8:22-23 says, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him. So, we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.” Ezra had declared that God would protect the people of God, so although he could have asked the king to provide soldiers for their journey, he decided to trust God instead. He began by praying and waiting upon God. Then, the people were ready to go forward in faith, trusting in their good God.