Meaning in the OrdinarySample

PREPARE FOR THE JOURNEY

Read

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”

-Mark 1:1-3

Reflect

Nellie sat in a group of military wives at a retreat center in the Rocky Mountains. “I never wanted to be a military wife!” She said:

"I knew nothing about the military, but I did know it was not for me. The constant change, the many moves, and short roots did not feel comfortable. I grew up in the same house until my freshman year of high school when my mom remarried. Our family moved into a new house about a mile away to provide the new marriage a fresh space. I remember sobbing as I sat on the floor surrounded by stacks of boxes in my childhood room. Moving from that home was very difficult. That move, however, began a series of moves that ultimately allowed me to embrace the nomadic routine of being part of a military family. God used those difficult moves to prepare me for what was ahead. I am so grateful for his path of preparation!"

Today, Nellie thrives as a wife, mom, entrepreneur, and follower of Christ. Through her web-based business, she connects other military wives with services in new military communities and makes their adjustment easier. She helps “prepare the way” for other military wives, and God is using her as a voice of encouragement.

God is all about preparation. Before he sent Jesus into the world, God used John the Baptist to prepare the way. Even before that, he spoke through prophets like Isaiah and Zechariah with the news that the Messiah would come. He prepared Jesus for his public ministry through the life he lived in a small village with an ordinary family among ordinary people. Similarly, God prepares us for the mission he has for us. He uses our past experiences to make us into people ready to serve him where we are. As a Christ follower, you are not in a military community to waste or bide time; you are there for a mission. You can’t always see how your mission will play out, but you can rest assured that the Lord can and will use you if you have a willing heart. Just ask Nellie!

Respond

Preparation for any mission is a process. In what ways can you look back and see how the Lord prepared you for military life?

Prayer

Lord, you are a God of preparation. Help me see the ways you have prepared me to be on mission for you in this place for this season. Amen.