“We are His story, we are His song, a beautiful melody that shows the world His love / when we’re on this journey, when we’re on this road, we are a part of the greatest story ever told.”
--“This Is My Story” by Addison Road from Stories

I’ve heard it said, about the book of Acts in the bible, that the reason it doesn’t have an ending is because WE are still writing the book today. The more I ponder on this, the more amazed I become. I read about such prominent New Testament figures like Paul, Silas, Peter, and James, and I can’t help but think to myself, God would actually rank me up there with the likes of them?

Sometimes we are so quick to forget that people like Paul, Silas, Peter and James started as ordinary men--ordinary men who had a real encounter with God. They were ordinary men who were called by Him to do the extraordinary. These guys didn’t come to God perfect, by any means, but over the course of their lives, they allowed God to perfect them and make them vessels that He could use. This sounds a lot like you and I, doesn’t it? If you look back to whom you used to be before you knew Jesus, and then compare it with the person you are today, you are going to see that God has done a lot of perfecting in your life. It is all a part of this journey we are on, as believers, to mirror ourselves more and more in the image of Christ. Yet, so often, people think that getting saved is a one-time thing. They think that they don’t actually need to do anything but say a prayer and move on with their lives, continuing to do what they want to do and living just like everyone else in the world. But it is FAR more than that.

God isn’t interested in how many people “get saved.” He isn’t even interested in how many people went to church and gave Him a nod on Sunday. He is interested in how many people gave Him their lives and really meant it, how many people desired to seek Him and really did it, and how many people realized His calling on their lives and really lived it. The Lord doesn’t just want to see numbers. He wants to see results.

In Colossians 1:28, Paul writes to the church, telling them that the reason we are to teach wisdom is so that God may see every man perfected before Himself. That doesn’t mean that when we get to heaven and approach the throne of God, we will have halos around our heads, but it does mean that we will come before Him with hearts that wanted nothing more than to live every part of our lives to bring Him glory and honor.

Maybe you’re out there reading this, and you’re one of those people who realizes that you are just a “number,” living for yourself. You know that you’re not giving God your all and you know something needs to change. This is for you today. Start pursuing your relationship with God like never before, spending time with Him every day, following His word for your life and allowing Him to perfect you more into the image of Christ.

It’s as this song by Addison Road says. You have been called by God to be a part of the greatest story ever told, and He wants to use you in ways that you could never have even imagined! You might desire to be His hands and feet and continue to do His acts, but before He can work through you to change the world, He’s got to do some changing IN you. I encourage you today to let God use you as a part of something beautiful. Surrender fully to Him, and watch Him unfold your story, taking you from who you are to who you’re going to be.

From ordinary to extraordinary.