“But the Lord says, “Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago. I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Don’t you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land.” (Isaiah 43:18-19).

Wow! What a day. We’re beginning to get back to normal. We’ve been waiting on this for some time and here we are, getting back to normal. But wait…do we really want to get back to the way we were before this pandemic, back to normal? Should we be satisfied with…good enough, it’s OK, it’s comfortable, it’s easy…normal? And, what should be “normal” for a Christian? Let’s consider it.

“The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.” (Luke 6:40). So, are we in training to be like our Teacher or are we satisfied to stay in Kindergarten? What WAS our “normal”? And, if we’re striving to be like our Teacher, Jesus, what would be normal for us? Let’s think, what was normal for Jesus? He was sinless, holy, regularly prayed to the Father, did what the Father said, knew the Word, commanded demons and they obeyed, spoke healing and life to those who needed it, controlled the weather and nature with His Word, ate with sinners, served others, taught about God’s kingdom and displayed love wherever He went. So, if that was normal for Jesus and we’re supposed to be striving to be like Him, shouldn’t that be the normal we should be working toward? “God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.” (Psalm 53:2). Now, we know that all have sinned, (Romans 3:23), and we are not going to be just like Jesus but are we going to just give up and quit and keep on being “normal”? God’s looking for His people to rise up and not be ordinary or normal but be extraordinary. Can we do it? We desperately need to; God needs us to. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

But it appears that there are not very many willing to sign up for the Advanced Class, be willing to work hard to be on the First Team or to follow the Master into the dark valley or up the steep mountain. “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” (Ezekiel 22:30). Today is the day. Let’s not be satisfied with “normal”. Let’s stand up and be counted. Do you hear the Voice? “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). #NoMoreNormal