Glory in the Ordinary: Finding God’s Beauty in Life’s Simplicity

By Debra Marsalisi

“Now the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months. And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, ‘What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it to its place.’ So they said, ‘If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty; but by all means return it to Him with a trespass offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you…’”—1 Samuel 6:1–18 (NKJV)

Welcome to today's devotional reading. There's a lot going on in this section of Scripture, from golden tumors and rats, to mooing cows and burnt offerings. Let’s briefly recap what has led up to this point:

The Israelites and Philistines are long-standing arch enemies. Another war breaks out. Instead of the Israelites seeking the Lord for counsel, provision, protection, and victory, they trot out the ark of the covenant like a supernatural trophy that’s automatically going to give them victory over their enemies. In their pridefulness, God delivers the Israelites into the hands of the Philistines. The ark is stolen, which causes incredible grief in the nation. To further humiliate the Jews, the ark is placed in the temple of the false god, Dagon. While the ark remains in possession of the Philistines, God brings upon them plagues. They’re stuck with “tumors” in their secret parts (1 Samuel 5:9—interesting fact, the original language suggests these were hemorrhoids). And the Philistine territories are ravaged by rats. The mighty hand of the Lord is heavy, and the Philistines finally fear the God of Israel. They recognize they’ve offended the Lord and return the ark with a trespass offering. This is where we are in Scripture today: God’s people greatly rejoicing as the ark arrives into their land.

Like the Israelites, we’re also called to abundantly rejoice and give glory to God in great moments of deliverance, victory, blessing, and peace. But together, let’s take a pause for a minute and ask ourselves, “What about those ordinary moments (you know the seemingly mundane moments that life offers up). Do we rejoice and give glory to God in the simplicity of life?”

If someone were to ask us what makes a joyful and successful life, one that glorifies God, how would we respond? Would we list all our victories, our mountain-top experiences, or would we also include the everyday experiences? Would we include our setbacks and defeats?

True success and joy isn’t measured by the grand events that bring victory, but in the quiet moments of everyday life—the unremarkable moments that seem to pass by unnoticed. Moments of routine simplicity such as serving our family and friends, offering a smile just to brighten someone’s day, caring for an elderly parent, or spending time doing something we're not crazy about just because it brings happiness to someone else. It’s the consistency of loving people well, with sincerity of heart and obedience to the Word.

The motto I try very hard to live by is this: How you do anything is how you do everything. Basically, how you show up for the little things in life is how you’ll show up for the big things in life.

Our everyday choices in life matter to God. He wants us to rejoice in the ordinary. It's always right and wonderful to celebrate major victories. The return of the ark was a glorious occasion; however, the Word of God tells us to rejoice always. We’re to rejoice over our family, our friends, our bills, our chores, our jobs, and even our trials (James 1:2). I genuinely know, this is often easier said than done, but it’s a worthy and righteous goal. Remember, when living in a first-world country, our ordinary is someone else’s extraordinary. We have much to rejoice in!

Pause: When was the last time you gave God glory for your ordinary?

Practice: Take this motto into your life this week and see how it changes your attitude and actions. “How you do anything is how you do everything.”

Pray: Dear Lord, Psalm 5:11 (NKJV) says, “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.” Thank You for all the ways You’ve defended and delivered me; great is Your name in all the earth. You’re faithful and full of mercy. Help me to see my everyday experiences in a new and fresh way. Help me to rejoice and celebrate in ordinary moments. I want my life to be so wrapped up in You that my success stories reflect Your glory and speak of obedience, gratitude, and joy. Amen.