“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. (Romans 4:20 NLT)
It’s no small thing to be a servant of the most high God! It takes strength and perseverance, endurance, and persistent effort. Why? Because it’s counter-cultural; it’s the exact opposite of what our carnal self desires and for which it longs.
It’s an irony born in the heart of every human being. The Bible teaches that God has planted eternity in the human heart, yet our stubborn will to exalt and worship what is seen often overrides and discards that which is eternal. We have difficulty seeing the hand of God on our lives or in our world because of our incessant drive to please ourselves.
It reminds me of the reporter who was interviewing different workers involved in the construction of a cathedral. One man was asked: “What are you doing? What’s your contribution to the construction of this great cathedral?” to which he responded: “I’m pouring concrete for the foundation.” Another responded to the same question: “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m a bricklayer. I’m laying brick.”
Another young man, cleaning up the other workers messes, answered the question by saying: “I’m sweeping the floors of what one day will be a great cathedral. A place many will come and experience life-changing moments that will point them to the Holy God who will be worshipped here!”
You see, it’s not what our literal, physical eyes see that makes us strong for God, it’s what we see with the eye of our heart. Jon Bloom was on to something vital when he wrote: “God does not need you to be strong. He wants to be your strength.” But how do we allow God to be our strength?
Abraham, often thought of as the father of our faith, led the way for us by simply believing God and following His directives. The problem with that for far too many would-be “warriors for Christ” is that they’re desirous to do what God tells them to do, they’re just tuned to the wrong frequency. Their head is in the clouds, while their mind is in the gutter.
Too many professing believers today want all that God can give, wrongly believing the best way to get all the world offers is to ask God for it. We want to believe that God is our “Jeanie in a bottle.” All we have to do is “rub” the proverbial “lamp” of prayer and out pops Jesus to do our bidding. Presumably, when we’re strong in what we want, God will provide our every whim.
However, strong expectations do not necessarily translate into strong faith and strong effectiveness for the Lord. Paul wrote in Philippians 1:20-21: “For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.”
Is it fair to say that Paul was strong for the Lord? What made him strong? The same thing that made Abraham strong in God – trust! If we’re to be strong for God it begins by having strong trust in Him and strong determination to be His holy, set apart, instrument to do His bidding, not our own. Strength often grows out of hardship, suffering, and pain, yet those are not typically the things for which we pray.
Can we determine simply to pray as Jesus prayed in the garden: “’Abba, Father,’ He cried out, ‘everything is possible for You. Please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.’”
That prayer is the epitome of trust and is foundational for anyone who desires to be strong for God.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 