There Is No Ordinary Story

My daughter used to be a mastermind at spinning a tale. She tended to conjure up narratives she thought were more interesting than her real story. Sometimes she claimed a famous dad or adorable little sisters. Sometimes it was a different birth country or adoption story. But what she is learning is that her story is beautiful simply because it’s hers. Simply because SHE is beautiful. She is hilarious. She is strong. She is smart. And if you say a bad word about someone in her family, you will probably experience her wrath, for she is fiercely loyal to her tribe.

This past Easter Sunday marked the 42^nd anniversary of the day I made public my decision  to follow Christ (I was 8 – feel free to do the math). For years, I wished for a more exciting testimony. A remarkable life change that would draw others to a similar conversion experience. Something that might wow them at the depths from which God pulled me.

The truth is, I can’t remember a time I did NOT believe in God or entrust my salvation to the finished work of Jesus. And while I’ve experienced some crises of faith along my journey, nothing has been more certain to me than God’s love for me and His grace in my life. Since my faith came so naturally at a young age, I often forget the depths from which God pulled me. There is no such thing as “ordinary” salvation, for every life redeemed by the Father is nothing short of extraordinary. 

For some, salvation comes like a thunderclap. For me, it emerged like a sunrise. And I realize now that one path is not more glorious than another. Both show off the majesty of God.  Believing my story was mundane was a sign I believed the glory of my story depended on me. But the only person who did anything to save me was Jesus, and what he did was earth-shattering.

He left his throne in heaven and came to live within the limits of humanity.  Extraordinary.

He took my sin upon his perfect, sinless self and took in the wrath of God in my place.  Extraordinary.

He experienced excruciating pain and insurmountable shame so that I wouldn’t have to. Extraordinary.

He rose from the grave, defeating death once and for all, so that I could live victoriously and reign with Him one day. Extraordinary.

He calls me forgiven, beloved, co-heir, and friend. Extraordinary.

For those of you who failed to whip out your calculators earlier, my name has been engraved on His hand for 43 years! May I never take for granted that I have known Him almost my entire life. That His truth has saved, protected, and strengthened me from as early as I can remember. That salvation is no less a gift to me than His unfailing love is to anyone who turns to Him. Priceless, David calls it in Psalm 36:7. Extraordinary.

No matter where your story lands on this spectrum, it is indeed a powerful story containing the greatest miracle of all – something dead brought back to life. May we never lose our wonder over the grand gesture of the great exchange made at the cross – His life for ours. May the awe of our salvation never subside. And may it propel us to continually share our story of grace with a dying world that doesn’t need a particular list of our failures or successes – they just need Jesus.

So get out there and display the extraordinary work of God you already are!