When Routine Becomes Magnificent...

I am sitting here at home today wearing a very sleek and comfortable pair of sweats. I’m not sure who had the idea first but understand I am indebted to my C3 Forum gang of Christian business leaders for them. An absolutely perfect gift for a guy who at this time cannot make the top waist button in his pants go in the button hole. Thank you so much.

My first night in the hospital was rough, but I was glad to be there rather than at home. The doctors and nurses were great and their skilled caring ministry to me was what I needed. We became friends. I pray for them now. I was someone who needed them and, though they did not realize it when they left home for work that day, I was someone they needed to share with them the incredible love of Jesus. 

I listened to them while we were together. I needed to understand and follow their instructions in order for this experience to have its desired outcome. It was my fifth surgery on my right elbow/arm since a December 2018 headfirst fall down three flights of City Park outdoor cement steps in Bellevue, Washington.

I especially “listened well” (a core part of my personal purpose statement—visit https://www.wardtanneberg.com) to one individual tell me her story. She had moved here a little over a year ago from my wife’s hometown (a connection) after a divorce or a death? (another connection—painful divorces and deaths in our families), who’s family immigrated from India (another connection—my first associate pastor and good friend these many years later is from Calcutta) and I encouraged her and another nurse who is a follower of Jesus to subscribe to Perspective (and if you did, then welcome to my Perspective family … I’m so glad you are here).

Perspective is my way of handing out ‘good news tracts’ on a street corner or of standing outside the Mariners game stadium proclaiming Jesus on a megaphone. For me it works better because Perspective creates a kind of ongoing sharing and possible dialogue or prayer with/for my readers when I am needed.

So we kept one another awake after the surgery (my contribution) pretty much throughout the first day and all night into the next. Our needs were different, but we each gave the other what we had to give—good words—caring attitudes—excellent service. Sometimes only one of these, at other times all three. None of which completed the “why” part of the reason God had brought us together for my surgery and hospital stay, but in each case contributing toward what will hopefully bring about a positive and just maybe an everlasting outcome.

Wait … are you saying God did this? That he intentionally brought all the doctors and nurses and you together for a collective “such a time as this” kind of day? Of course. Is this not what followers of Jesus have been challenged to expect with each new day?

“And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”[1]

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”[2]

“And when routine becomes magnificent the daily routine becomes a holy adventure.”[3] 

I leave you with Howard Saylor’s ‘holy adventure’ story, made available in the Plough Weekly. It powerfully points up how a simple act of service can turn into a divine encounter if we “listen well.”

https://www.plough.com/en/topics/community/service/signs-and-wonders?utm_source=weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=012821

May your routine become magnificent today … and may Jesus keep us close.

[1] Esther 4:14

[2] Romans 8:28

[3] Ward Tanneberg