Power in Weakness

-

 


Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9b-10 (ESV)

Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Devotion:

          In today’s world we all can feel powerless in the face of a culture that has turned its back on Christianity. Paul knew what that was like. He faced a culture in the Greco-Roman world that had lots of idols and gods. From Aphrodite to Zeus the culture had plenty of gods. Even the emperors demanded the people worship them as gods. You would think that a culture that had so many gods would be ok with one more. However, the culture balked at the idea of the Christian God because it demanded that the people forsake all the other gods and follow the one true and living God.

          It would have been easy for Paul and his fellow workers to give up on what seemed like a hopeless task of bringing Christ to the nations of world. They were after all weak and vulnerable to attack both verbally and physically. Many ended up as martyrs for the faith simply for preaching that Jesus is Lord. Those in control of the government simply could not stand for any God that stood in the way of their control of the people. This made Christians in that day targets for persecution.

          A similar situation has developed over the past several years in the western cultures. Freedom of speech and assembly of Christians are being increasingly infringed upon. What is one to do? We are to obey civil government when it does its duty to provide freedom to exercise our rights as citizens. However, when the government infringes on those rights, we are free to use civil disobedience to protest laws and actions that are not just. We must be willing to endure the “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities” just as Paul did.

          When we do these things, we will be storing up in heaven a treasure that will be our reward on the day of judgement. We must somehow learn, as Paul did, to be content in the midst of our sufferings. Working for Jesus to bring his kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven is our most important task. We must do this regardless of what any government of culture thinks about it. Let us pray for the strength to do our work for Jesus.

Prayer:

          Heavenly Father we come to you this day offering our very lives as a sacrifice. O God strengthen our faith to the point where we may be willing and able to give all for the sake of your kingdom. Keep us from giving unnecessary offence but give us firmness of purpose and resolve not to compromise in the essentials of our faith. May we live lives that glorify your name. Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcoming the Unwelcome

-
  Scripture: Luke 7:36-38 (NIV) 36  When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37  A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38  As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them. Devotion:             First of all, some warnings to my readers. This post will exceed the 500 words I try to limit my posts. Second, this post will contain content people may find offensive or otherwise unfit for print. Please understand that my purpose is neither to offend nor upset but to provoke thought and, hopefully, respectful dialog.             We will use Luke chapter seven as an aid to interpreting the events that occurred last Thursday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. On that da
Read more

Father Forgive Them

-
  Scripture: Luke 23:33-34 (ESV) 33  And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34  And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Devotion:             The situation Jesus finds himself in here in today’s scripture is difficult for us to even imagine. A sham trial, no credible accusations of any kind, let alone any deserving of death, and yet here he is. A brilliant Rabbi, a teacher of the people who never led even one person astray from God’s will. This Holy One of God soon to be food for vultures.             This man who had done nothing wrong had no one in all the crowds who would speak up in his defense lest they be next to face the cross. An innocent man hung between two scoundrels. No voice from heaven declaring that this was the man that they were killing was actually the true Son of God. (See Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5, John 12:28) No the heaven
Read more

Transgenderism letter

-
  This is a copy of my letter to my senators, representative, and President Biden. January 15, 2024 Dear President Biden, Senators T. Duckworth, R. Durbin, and Representative D. LaHood             I am writing to you because I am concerned about the situation affecting our children and grandchildren, namely transitioning them from one gender to another. This nation must adjust course concerning these “interventions” because they are dangerous, irreversible, and life-changing. Our country should not be permitting these procedures on minor children under any circumstances. We must also make sure that adults who seek this care are given informed consent as to the risks versus benefits of sex reassignment treatments.             There are many drawbacks to gender-affirming care for minors. Besides the loss of any ability to give or receive sexual pleasure and sterility these treatments cause, there are social and psychological effects that we have no way of identifying because these
Read more