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Sunday, May 17, 2009

Whose Strength is it?

“When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10)

When we reach the point in our lives that the world seems to be pressing down upon us and that there are things happening that are perhaps beyond our control, it is then that we turn to our dependence upon the Lord.

It’s sad that sometimes it takes a crisis to bring us to our knees. But I think that the Lord can show Himself the strongest when we are at our weakest. And when we are at our weakest point, we tend to seek Him the deepest and with the most determination. It is during the dark times of uncertainty in our lives, that we reach out to the One who represents stability to us.

I think that many times when we encounter these crises, it is because God is calling us to do something. He may be trying to give us that little shove that we need to get out of the nest and stretch our wings so we can grow in our faith.

I think about Peter when he saw the Lord walking on the Sea of Galilee, and he cried out, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.“ Jesus replied, “Come.“. Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But then Peter began to sink and he had to cry out to Jesus to save him. And of course, Jesus did.

Why did Peter start to sink? Because, he took his eyes off of Jesus. Too often, we get our focus off of God and that’s when we let the influence of the world penetrate our hearts and lives. That’s when we begin to sink. And we will continue to sink deeper and deeper until we do just like Peter did. Recognize that we lost our focus and reach out to the only one who can save us from the abyss.

When Peter allowed his weakness to creep in, then God was able to show Himself mighty and strong. It is not our strength or even our own resources that sustain us. It is only the magnificent power and strength of our Lord. He is the one that gives us the courage and the assurance that we need to step out of that boat, keep our eyes on Him and waltz across that water to our Savior’s arms.

Precious Lord, I need you more than I need anything else in my life. I want to keep my eyes on You and keep my focus on the things that bring You glory and honor and praise. There is nothing that is too hard for you. You are my strength and when I am weak, I am strong through Your power working in my life. Thank you for loving me and giving me eternal life.


Beth

6 comments:

Beth in NC said...

So true Beth. Even when we think we are strong in certain areas, God shows us that "our" strength is only a weakness. We always need Him.

Keeping our eyes on Jesus is key.

Love,
Beth

Yolanda said...

Beth,

when I realize the truth of this--weakness and strength---it sure takes a lot of pressure off of me to perform. Because I then allow the GREAT PERFORMER to do just that...perform a mighty miracle. All miracles are mighty.

Love ya!

TRUTH SHARER said...

Oh Beth:

The world has been pressing down on me this past week - and so has the Lord. His Hand has been heavy too, as I have had to listen and obey some things I did not wish to do. But when He speaks through His Word and Spirit - the only sure response is obedience.

I am very WEAK - yet HE is Strong! And more over - HE IS GOD!! MY GOD!

I echo your precious heartfelt prayer too! Thanks for this reminder today - I sure needed it!

Choosing JOY,
Stephanie
[JESUS - the One I Worship]

Laurie said...

But I think that the Lord can show Himself the strongest when we are at our weakest. Amen Beth! This is a good word for us- always! I appreciate your prayer at the end, too:)

Stephanie said...

That is exactly how we are sometimes,we stop focusing on Him,and then we begin to sink in our circumstances.

LisaShaw said...

Amen! True message but one thing I applaud Peter on is that he got out of that boat :) That's half the battle and then keeping our eyes on Jesus keeps us from sinking. Amen!! But thanks be to God that He grabs hold of us even if/when we become unsteady and shift our eyes for a moment. Praise the Lord for He is our strength.

Love ya.