“With me are riches and honour, enduring wealth and prosperity. “ – Proverbs 8:18 (NIV)
Throughout the Bible, we read of God’s faithfulness and love, how He changed ordinary people who were unknown into extraordinary, notable characters. Why? God looks at the heart. Anyone who seeks God’s wisdom and trusts Him can become extraordinary.
Psalm 36:8 (NIV) says, “They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from the river of delights.” There is a river of pleasures in God, always full, fresh, and constantly flowing. Hence, the Almighty God can change your situation as you give yourself fully to Him – total surrender. He satisfies us with good things, both spiritual and material.
David was an ordinary shepherd boy. 1st Samuel 17:20 states, “Early in the morning David left the flock with a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry.” Later, David, the little, unknown, ordinary shepherd boy, killed Goliath, the Philistine’s battle champion, with a slingshot and a brick. He found favour with God. He was called a man after God’s own heart (1st Samuel 13:14).
Even though David’s life was a mixture of good and evil, he became an extraordinary person and the most excellent king in Israel. Scriptures say he sought the Lord at all times (Psalm 16:8), in good and bad times. He manifested a spiritual mind and wrote many helpful, inspiring Psalms. David tapped into the Source of his blessing, God.
His outstanding characteristic was his versatility. He possessed extraordinary talents:
- He was an athlete (1st Samuel 17:34-36)
- A musician (1st Samuel 16:18)
- He had poetic skills, as seen in the Psalms he wrote. No other poetry has been used so often in the church as the Psalms of David.
- As king, he was successful – he had military victories. He captured Jerusalem and established the capital there (2nd Samuel 5:6-10).
Ruth, the Moabite, Naomi’s daughter-in-law, was also an ordinary girl who became the wife of Boaz. Upon the death of her husband, Ruth decided to cling to her mother-in-law and not leave. She went to Bethlehem with Naomi instead of returning to her parents. She became Naomi’s daughter. Listening to her mother-in-law’s advice, she moved from a poor widow to a wealthy and respected wife, asking the question: “…Why have I found such favour in your eyes that you notice me – a foreigner?” (Ruth 2:10 – NIV) But this is the favour of God – a story of God’s love to all mankind, not to some, but all. He is faithful and He blesses.
Yes, God can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Tap into Him today.
Read: 1 Samuel 16:12-13; Ruth 2:8-10
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 119:65-72; 1 Timothy 5; 1 Timothy 6:1-2; Jeremiah 43; Jeremiah 44; Jeremiah 45