“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17 NIV).
My days are often ordinary and mundane. Diapers, laundry, work, and ministry often leave me falling into bed exhausted at night. My heart’s desire is to serve the Lord and for my life to be poured out as an offering in his service. But some days, that desire feels unfulfilled in the list of ordinary to-dos that never seem to end: another diaper to change, more dishes in the sink, and laundry that doesn’t seem to put itself away no matter how many days I allow it to sit folded in baskets. And some days I live as though Paul’s command in Colossians 3:17 doesn’t actually apply to my mundane tasks. Like the “whatever” only encompasses the big stuff.
I am so thankful that the Lord is faithful to use his Word to speak to our struggles. The Christmas story has been a particular comfort to me as a young mom feeling trapped in the cycle of never-ending ordinary tasks. I think it is because I read Luke 2:1–7 and notice how lowly and mundane it all seems at first glance. A very pregnant young couple traveling for a census doesn’t seem so grand. That poor couple being turned away at a full inn doesn’t seem like a very royal reception. No one went out of their way to help them. A young girl labored in the night and gave birth in an ordinary way, as thousands of women before her had given birth. And when this newborn baby boy breathed his first breath, the town of Bethlehem did not take notice. To them, it was just another ordinary night. To those reading the story, the details all seem so inconsequential, insignificant, and humble.
But that dirty manger bed held a baby who was the King of all kings. The Creator of the world laid his head against young Mary’s chest. He was cradled in the arms of his mother, and at that same moment, he held the world in his hands. The baby born in the darkness of night was the Light of the World. The most ordinary moments were transformed by the presence of God.
Jesus was born in the most ordinary way for the most extraordinary purpose. He came to be the covenant keeper: the one who would fulfill every promise God had made to his people. He came to rescue and redeem. He came to die for the sins of his own. As he ascended to heaven in Matthew 28:20 he left a promise that he would be with his people. And just as his presence transformed the ordinary circumstances of that first Christmas, his presence transforms the ordinary moments and tasks of our lives.
Our mundane moments have meaning and purpose because he is with us. Immanuel has come, and as God’s children we are united to Christ. Our ordinary days are not insignificant to him. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that we are his workmanship, and the good works that he has called us to do have been prepared for us in Christ before time began. He is not disappointed by the mundane tasks of life. He has called us to serve him right here. He has called us to live out every moment for his glory. And that includes the most mundane and ordinary of moments. But the good news of the gospel is that we are not left to do good works (even the most mundane ones) on our own. If we are his children, he is with us through every moment, empowering us to bring him glory through ordinary service to the little ones in our care.
Our God often works in the most unexpected ways. The Bible is filled with stories of how he uses the ordinary circumstances of unlikely people with limited resources to accomplish his will. No one expected the promised Messiah to come as a baby in a stable in Bethlehem. But God was working his plan and keeping his covenant in the midst of the ordinary. We can cling to this truth as we walk through our own ordinary lives, carrying out our ordinary tasks. God is bringing about his sovereign plan. His presence is with you as you change another diaper, pack another lunch, wipe another crumb-covered table, or head to work for another day. He is at work in, through, and around you in each and every repetitive, lowly task. Your ordinary moments are part of his sovereign plan and he is with you each step of the way. The coming of Christ brings you hope in the mundane moments of motherhood because his finished work redeems and give purpose to yours.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION/ APPLICATION:
Kristin listed mundane tasks like changing diapers, doing dishes, and putting away laundry. What parts of life feel most ordinary or mundane to you?
Read Ephesians 2:4–10. How does the finished work of Jesus transform your ordinary work? What difference does it make to know that God’s presence is with you in your ordinary moments?
How can you intentionally seek after the Lord in the mundane moments of your day, remembering his work for you and his presence with you?
Kristin Schmucker is a disciple, a wife, and a mom. She loves how the Advent season shifts our gaze to Jesus, and she is passionate about women studying Scripture. She is the founder of The Daily Grace Co. which is a company that seeks to create tools to equip disciples to know and love God’s Word. You can find more of her writing on The Daily Grace Co. Blog or on Instagram @kristinschmucker or @thedailygraceco.