Ordinary Sanctification

I got a text message from a friend today. Right in the middle of an ordinary day, doing all the usual ordinary things, someone said,

I’ve prayed for you.

Suddenly it felt like all that humdrum ordinariness was sanctified. All the driving to and fro, looking after children, household chores, tea making, conversation, decision making, money earning, church going, all the things that amount to a life.

In the midst of mundane, everyday living and the vexation of repetitive servanthood, I wanted to hold something holy. I wanted to read exceptional words and find a priceless pearl. I wanted to be inspired and feel that I was being lifted up into another realm beyond the routine. I was feeling restless and unfocused, dissatisfied with the fragmented nature of my own thoughts, prayers and Bible reading. All the while, the normal and familiar was being consecrated. A friend’s prayer already bringing me into a holy place. A place that is utterly unworldly and yet as close as the breath of a prayer, the throne room of heaven.

I said to the person next to me, “a friend has just told me she’s prayed for me!” and in a moment we were having a conversation about spiritual related things. Another moment in turn being sanctified.

Once again, I find truth in apparent contradiction.

‘In the Fallen World, He prepared for himself a body and was united with the Dust and made it glorious for ever.’   Perelandra, C S Lewis

Jesus, the embodiment of God in the ordinary, unites with us and makes the dust of our lives a glorious thing.

We’re told to search for God, to seek him with all our hearts and yet we’re also told to wait for him. More contradiction! I wait in his presence holding a restless, seeking spirit. My friend’s prayer reminded me that while I am unaware of holy work being done, I need to just keep doing the unremarkable work of living and it is sanctified space whether or not I can sense it.

So tonight I take heart, keep doing the ordinary and wait for the extraordinary, the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

‘Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord’