ExtraOrdinary

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they too note that these men had been with Jesus. - Acts 4:13

Go the extra mile. Make an extra effort. Earn some extra credit.

How much "extra" do you have? Time? Energy? Money? Probably not much. At least by your own standards. According to Merriam-Webster.com, extra means "more than is due, usual, or necessary."

Most of us live ordinary lives. We go to work, take care of our families, shop for groceries, spend time with friends, clean our houses...the list goes on and on. We're known by only a small circle of people with whom we live everyday life. Nothing we've done is widely known, and we're not quickly recognized (if at all!) by people we don't know. We're ordinary. At least that's how we see ourselves. In our own efforts and definitions, we are.

But God doesn't see us that way. He didn't create us to be ordinary. In our own efforts, yes, we're ordinary. If even that. But in God's purpose for us, when we rely on him, when we fully trust him, we become extraordinary. He's the "extra" in our ordinary. We not only shouldn't try to be extraordinary without God...we can't be extraordinary without God!

Whew! That's a relief! We can't do it on our own. But God can make it happen with us! He's amazing, isn't he?!

Pick up a pack of Extra gum. Unwrap the Extra wrapper, leaving the silver wrapper on the gum. That's us without God. Plain and ordinary. Now wrap the Extra wrapper around it again. God completes us. Put the fully wrapped piece of gum in your datebook or somewhere you'll see it regularly (but not chew it!). When you glance at it, you'll be reminded that God puts the EXTRA in your ordinary.

God did extraordinary miracles through Paul. - Acts 19:11