An Extraordinary Life in an Ordinary Place

O. T. #484  "An Extraordinary Life in an Ordinary Place"
March 20, 2015
Joshua 19-Part 4
And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.
Joshua 19:24

LET IT GLOW

The fifth lot fell on the tribe of Asher.

This territory was a long, broad strip flanking the Mediterranean Sea on the west, then Naphtali's and Zebulun's claims on the east, running south to Manasseh's.  (MacArthur)

The difficulty in tracing her boundaries stems from the fact that they are established, not by natural or topographical features, but by the relative position of its principal cities. (Falwell)

They had 22cities and villages.

Neither were there many famous places located in the area given to the tribe of Asher. The sea ports of Tyre and Sidon were two stronghold where many people of Canaan fled and took shelter, when Joshua invaded them. (M. Henry)

I would call it just an ordinary place with ordinary people. There was nothing spectacular about it nor did anything special happened there. Are we just an ordinary person living in an ordinary place? Yet if we are a child of God, we have not just an ordinary life, but an extraordinary life with Jesus. That's what I want, to live an extraordinary life with Jesus. I want to experience all that He has for me each day I breathe. I look around and see the beauty of His creation. I feel His love flowing from His throne of heaven, down to me, an ordinary person living in an ordinary place.

Wasn't it like that for Jesus, but switched around. He was born in an ordinary place, not a palace, but a barn where the animals were kept. We consider it was not a place where the King of kings should be born. He came as an ordinary man, yet the son of man was the Son of God, living an extraordinary life without sin, totally yielded to the will of God, and died on the cross as a sacrifice for you and me.


LET IT GROW

We do not read about any famous person being from this tribal area, except Anna the prophetess, who resided constantly fasting and praying in the temple at the time of Jesus' birth. Because of her sacrificial life, Anna was blessed by God when she saw with her own eyes the Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. He was a baby, taken to the temple by Mary and Joseph.

Luke 2:37 NIV says, and she was a widow until she was eighty-four. she never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. 

She was a teacher of the Old Testament, not a source of revelation. She would have been at least 104 years old, since she had been widowed 84 years after being married 7 years. She evidently had her living quarters on the temple grounds. There would have been several such dwelling places for priests in the outer court, and Anna must have been allowed to live there permanently because of her unusual status as a prophetess.  (MacArthur)

Are we willing to teach God's Word? Are we willingly doing it? How about sacrificially doing it?

LET IT GO

Live an extraordinary life of faith in Jesus.

Teach God's Word whenever the opportunity comes.

Pray and fast faithfully as Anna did.