“Jesus replied, ‘The most important commandment is this: “Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”’” (Mark 12:29-30 NLT)
Strength is a gift we often overlook until we have none. In my present journey, one of the most significant side effects of the medications I’m taking is almost constant weakness. We can quickly take for granted the strength we have to walk without assistance, until we can’t. But the greater tragedy is ignoring the strength God provides us to walk with Him.
What does it mean to “love the Lord your God with all your strength.” My sense is it’s referring largely to our human capabilities; the opportunities the strength of our body gives us from day to day. If we can walk, work, run errands, shop, attend church, have recreation, go on vacations, and many other things our strength allows us, each of those privileges affords us the gift of interaction with others, many of whom may not know the Lord.
It takes not only physical strength, but strength of character to commit to a lifestyle of sharing Jesus with everyone in our spheres of influence. Recently I read a quote from George Whitefield that got my attention. He said: “God forbid that I should travel with anybody a quarter of an hour without speaking of Christ to them.”
How often do we interact with someone for hours and the thought never crosses our mind to speak with them about Jesus? The strength we need as children of God should far transcend our physical capabilities into a realm of strength we’ll never fully understand unless and until Jesus is our everything. The Holy Spirit will give us insights, wisdom, strength of heart and mind to do whatever the Lord lays on our heart to do.
Yes, of course it can be frightening, but the thought of me stumbling with my words and embarrassing myself is not nearly as frightening to me as the thought of the person with whom I’m speaking spending an eternity separated from a loving God for all eternity. That, my friend, is terrifying! Craig Groeschel brought up an interesting point when he said: “The way we respond to life’s challenges today will determine the strength of our faith tomorrow.”
Spiritual strength is much like physical strength in the sense that if we don’t use it we lose it. Toby McKeehan speaks to that when he writes: “Don’t worry that you’re not strong enough before you begin. It is in the journey that God makes you strong.” Some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned and thus, the greatest measure of strength I’ve been given, is when I’ve fallen on my face in an effort to present the Lord in a meaningful way.
Sometimes the words won’t come, the Scriptures I want to use escape me, I feel flustered and inadequate, but the Lord assures me, in His most loving way, “You are inadequate, and you always will be, but I will use your inadequacies to speak in ways that you never could. Just do your best and trust Me to do the rest.” I can live with that, so, I just keep trying to point people to Him.
Is that how you’re using your strength? To point people to Him? I sure hope so.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Food for thought.
Walking With Jesus 