The Gift of the Ordinary - 08/25/2025
The Gift of the Ordinary - 08/25/2025
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:18–20
“This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life that God gives us; for this is our lot. Likewise, everyone to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil—this is the gift of God. For they will scarcely brood over the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts.”
The Teacher of Ecclesiastes had seen it all—wealth, success, pleasure, and wisdom—and yet he concluded that life is fleeting, like vapor. Instead of despairing, he invites us to see the ordinary as a gift: meals shared, work completed, laughter with loved ones. When we stop trying to control what we cannot hold, our hands are free to receive what God has already given.
Joy is not postponed until everything is perfect. It is discovered in the middle of dishes, deadlines, and daily bread. Ordinary life, accepted with gratitude, becomes extraordinary.
Application:
Instead of striving for “someday,” look for God’s presence in the everyday.
Action Step:
Today, pause and name three ordinary gifts that bring joy right now.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for the gift of today. Help me receive it with open hands and a grateful heart. Amen.