I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
An Obscure King
Have you ever felt forgotten? Unnoticed? Unimportant?
You’re not alone.
When Jesus was born, He entered into human history in one of the smallest towns in all of Israel. There wasn’t even any room for his pregnant mother in the house, so he was born in a stable next to animals.
This was such a stark contrast to Israel’s current king—Herod, who lived in massive palaces and flaunted his wealth. While Herod was living in splendor, the King of all the universe was being born in the humblest of settings and humblest of towns.
But this obscurity brings us hope. Why? Because it shows us the example that He set for us from the beginning.
The Kingdom of God has always been upside-down compared to the culture of the world. Humility instead of grandeur. Serving instead of ruling. Giving instead of acquiring. God showed us the way His Kingdom works by bringing something great out of something small. That’s what this verse reminds us of:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Micah 5:2 NIV
Though you are small, out of you will come one who will be ruler over Israel.
Wealth and status aren’t measurements for success in God’s Kingdom. Being part of the Kingdom of God is about trusting that God is writing the story. It’s about remembering that the Kingdom of God has never been like the kingdoms of this world. And it’s also about remembering that, out of small beginnings, God can do great things.
The Mission of God
All of our lives are spent on something.
Most people spend their days focused on growing a family, building a career, or amassing possessions. While none of those things are necessarily wrong, they can become distractions from our ultimate goal in life.
In the book of Acts, we see Paul’s transformation in Christ. As a result of meeting Jesus and being changed by His grace, Paul spends the rest of his life preaching the good news of Jesus.
For Paul, God’s grace and salvation were so great that nothing on this earth could compare to doing His work.
Paul said that nothing in his life mattered as much as telling others about God’s grace. His goal in life was to finish his own race well by faithfully accomplishing as much of the mission of God as possible:
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."
Acts 20:24 NIV
The mission of ...
