Ordinary

What you do matters!

You consistently pour yourself out as a fragrant offering to the Lord. Your time and talents; all that you set your hands to is a beautiful sacrifice to the Lord.

As Administrative Assistants, it matters to the pastor and department you support. It matters to our church family who receive the benefit of your work. As wives, moms, and friends, your diligence makes a big difference to the people you love. But most importantly, it matters to the Lord. He has gifted you with a certain demeanor, talents, and gifts to be used specifically at this time and in this way. If we aren’t careful, we can slip into the temptation to believe our work is insignificant. This happens when we take our eyes off our Father and begin to compare or evaluate the value of our work through our own eyes. But if we remember that we have been placed by God and our work is ordained by God for the purposes of God, we see His greater plans interwoven with emails, homework, calendars, bills, and to-do’s.

Not long ago I learned that the church calendar has a time period called “Ordinary Time.” One author explains that ordinary isn’t to be confused with common or mundane. Instead, it is originates from “ordinal,” meaning “counted” time. Additionally, dark green is the color often associated with this time period on the calendar to represent growth and new life. Green became the symbolization of the life of the Church following Pentecost – the hope of new life in the resurrection.

I am certainly not a Bible scholar, but that sounds very purposeful to me!  It helped me to reframe that each day of the calendar – of my life – is counted by the Lord. I am to look at each day as one that has purpose; not disposability. And what He has entrusted to me – exciting and not – matters to Him. 

Teach us to number our days,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

As Administrative and Executive Assistants – as daughters of God – may we continually be humbled to be invited into the work of the Holy Spirit. May we recognize the holiness of the difficult, exciting, and even the mundane simply because the hand of God is upon it all. As we approach each task, may we recognize the value it holds to our loving Father; nothing is without purpose, whether we see it or not. Lord, help us to recognize this in one another as well! Help us to be quick to encourage, edify, lift up, and remind one another…

You are adored.