May 17, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Find out what pleases the Lord. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” (Ephesians 5.10; Ephesians 6.10)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

There are times in our lives when “being strong” not only seems impossible but is physically, mentally and emotionally impossible. We just can’t do it because such things as the loss of a job, the loss of a marriage or some significant relationship, the medical trials and tribulations of a loved one or dear friend, the death of the same are energy draining. What we must guard ourselves against is the entertaining of the idea that it is spiritually impossible to be strong! I cannot emphasize this enough. I cannot remind myself enough of this truth. If pushed to utter declaration, I would say to anyone “it is impossible to be spiritually weak!”

Why? I pray you asked why. Even if you know this truth for yourself, I would pray that you might ask me or anyone who espouses this truth “Why do you say that?” My answer is this: My strength comes from the Lord. He is My rock and my salvation. The joy of the Lord is my strength. In Him alone shall I have life. The psalmist David shared these revelations in song to be sung to his flock, the nation of Israel. He did not come upon them magically or mystically. He learned them from the school of hard knocks but in the midst of wise counsel. For me, this is the truth that I hold on to in times of trouble, despair, seemingly hopeless situations and doubt. If we speak of “spiritual strength,” then we must acknowledge the source of that strength does not come from us or our abilities or our intentionalities to be good. Even our very own lives do not exist on our own. Many would believe so. Such thinking allows them to so easily discard the lives of others because they do not see nor find nor accept that “God is with us” so “God is not with them” so “God is not a part of us.” Nothing can be further from the truth.

Mighty ones of God, this is what pleases God: that we acknowledge, accept and proclaim Immanuel. It isn’t about stroking God’s ego, as if He had one. God’s love of praise, admiration, constancy in our thoughts and so forth is not about bolstering God. His love and joy in these matters comes from seeing how it strengthens and encourages us. Because we believe, we discover and receive that joy of the Lord which is our strength. It is derived from the very presence, in the very midst, of God who has made known to us the truth of who we are and are meant to be in His own Son, Jesus the Christ.

We should never say “I have no spirit of God in me.” Even unbelievers have the spirit of God in them. It is the heart and soul of the heart and soul. It speaks. It breathes. It moves. It empowers. It teaches us in ways we cannot imagine. When the Russian cosmonaut came back from his journey in space his faith was confirmed. However, Nikita Kruschev who was the president of Russia at the time said to debunk Gegaran’s affirmed faith in the wonder and majesty of God “I see no God.” If he had been in that spacecraft and looking at the creation of the heavens and the earth through its window, he would have seen his own reflection. To say at that point, “I see no God,” would mean that he denied God’s existence and sovereignty. He would have spoken his own death sentence because spiritually he would be, and was, weak. Yet, the truth must be affirmed by each of us. Surrendering ourselves to our faith in God allows the connection between God and humanity to be forever strong. It becomes as Jacob’s ladder where angels ascend and descend. It is as Jesus told Nathanael “You will see angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man, then you will truly know what you believe.”

Mighty ones of God. be strong. The spirit of God is in you, working through you for you and for God so that the truth can be known.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit brought us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit so that others may be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind that we would know that we are Your people and that You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.