DAY 96
Marc Turnage
Scripture: Luke 2:1-7
God came into this world in a very natural way. Too often, we Christians try to find God coming in supernatural and sky-splitting extravaganza. We even look at our own lives and believe that to be a really good Christian means we have to have extraordinary experiences.
But being a follower of the Lord means living our ordinary lives in an extraordinary way. Marc reminds us today what the birth of Jesus is about: In the midst of chaos, God is with us in the most common and ordinary ways, and He wants us to be the same for others.
Question: In what ways can you live your ordinary life in an extraordinary way?
Is there an area in your life today that you’re honestly just tired of it being the “same-old same-old,” whether it’s the same defeat day-in and day-out, the same conflict that never seems to resolve, or something else that doesn’t seem victorious to you? This is an area you can ask Jesus to break through for you!
Prayer Starter: If you need breakthrough in any area of your life, spend some time today praying through Scripture, as the Lord leads you. Suggested verses: 2 Samuel 5:20; Isaiah 54:17; Micah 2:13; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 9:8, 10:4; Ephesians 6:12, 6:18; Hebrews 4:12.
NLC COMMUNITY TEXT Family Chat: Try “practice conversations” with your kids today. (See today’s blog for an explanation.)
PRACTICE CONVERSATIONS: Do your kids’ ordinary conversations with each other sometimes (or often!) end in arguments? Try “practice conversations” with them. When their dialogue falls apart, instruct them to start the conversation over at the point where they started arguing, explaining that they’re just going to practice seeing if they can end the argument differently.
Give your kids many opportunities to try again until their conversation lands in a place where they can both agree. Suggest to them: “You can either use different words when you respond this time or use the same words but with a different tone of voice.” Each time a child responds, give the other child a moment to think about what they’re going to say before they respond. Practice Conversations take time, but they are well worth the investment!
Take Action: Step aside and let Jesus be Himself through you. When you hear His gentle invitation to serve someone else’s need or bring someone else an encouragement, obey Him.
Additional Resources: