Wednesday, 31st July

READING

Acts 2:42 – 47

MEDITATION

Do you dream of a better job, being a hero, being wealthier?

Do you dream of getting greater recognition and appreciation?

Do you dream of being slightly less ordinary?

Michael S. Horton, writes in Ordinary: Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World:

“Facing another day, with ordinary callings to ordinary people all around us is much more difficult than chasing my own dreams that I have envisioned for the grand story of my life.”

The temptation is to think that God only uses extraordinary Christians to do his work.

That he only uses extraordinary churches with extraordinary pastors and leaders.

This is not what we see in the book of Acts.

Not what you see in the book of Acts.

God does not ask us to do the extraordinary – that’s his job.

BUT God calls on us to do the ordinary things faithfully.

God calls us to give time and energy, prayer and money to doing the ordinary.

In the book of Acts we read:

Acts 2: 42 – 47

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

In Acts they faithfully looked after each other

Faithfully with much trembling shared the gospel

Faithfully prayed and prayed for boldness

Faithfully reached out to those of other nations

Faithfully made financial sacrifices

They did the ordinary faithfully

And God through their faithfulness acts in an extraordinary way.

PRAYER

O Lord you are the God who does the extraordinary.

Please help me each day to be content with my situation.

And help me to do the ordinary mundane things of each day with faithfulness and with trust in you.

Amen.

PRAYER for WEDNESDAY

Today we PRAY for the following 6 things:

• That we at CCB would be a church that prays. That we would meet together and pray with one another and that we would as a church persevere in prayer.
• That we would be committed to serving: We would give ourselves in service to Christ and to one another.  We would consider how we can be helpful at CCB.  We would commit ourselves with joy and humility to the ministries of CCB.
• That we would make time to be with each other physically. That we would regularly attend church so that we can serve and encourage one another.
• Let us today, celebrate our ordinary lives and ordinary church. And Give thanks for an extraordinary God.
• Pray we at CCB would pursue excellence; that we would do everything with faithfulness and joy for the sake of the Gospel.
• Pray that we at CCB would give of our finances generously, and that the church would give generously.