More Power!

June 15, 2023

More Power!

I have seen many people run out of juice before the big project is finished or run out of energy before the end of the game or run out of passion before the dream is accomplished.

I am not sure if their resolve is diluted or their focus is unclear or their hope runs out.  But before they reach the end, they stop short; i.e., they quit on the project, the game, or the dream.  Discouragement, disappointment, and despair leave them less than the Lord God dreamed for them.  

The same thing can happen in our relationship with Jesus.  Sometime, and often a long time, before we reach the last day of our life we can yield to other agendas, a boat load of aches and pains, or just lose our first love for Jesus.

In the opening of his letter to the church in Corinth (I Corinthians 1:8), the Apostle Paul writes; “He (Jesus) will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Jesus will give you the strength you need until the day Jesus returns or until the day we die and return to Jesus.  To know Jesus is my strength gives me the desire and the ability to live and love like Jesus until my last day on earth is finished.

In Isaiah 12:2 the prophet writes; “I trust you to save me, Lord God, and I won’t be afraid.  My power and my strength come from you, and you have saved me.” 

There are seasons of life when my circumstances are crazy, my choices are confounded, and my passion is decreasing.  And yet even in those times, I can still trust the Lord God will give me the power and strength I need to trust and obey and love and serve Jesus.

In the next paragraph in his letter, we get a better idea of why Paul reminds the Christ-followers in Corinth that Jesus will be their power and strength until they see Jesus face-to-face.  The church to whom Paul is writing is overwhelmed by conflict and divisions and factions. 

In I Corinthians 1:10 Paul writes; “Now I appeal to you…that there be no divisions among you…”  The church was embroiled in all kinds of arguments.  The people were arguing about;

spiritual gifts, how to take holy communion, speaking in tongues,

who was the better pastor, spiritual immaturity, jealousy,

sexual immorality in the church, spiritual pride, lawsuits in the church,

marriage between a believer and an unbeliever,

which foods and drink were acceptable for believers,

head coverings in worship, worship styles, and purpose of worship

resurrection of the dead to eternal life,

the type of body people will have in heaven

Many of the believers were beginning to be worn down by all the arguing in the church.  Paul reminds them the Lord is our power and our strength even when we are discouraged and disappointed or distressed and depressed or divided and disheartened.

The same things happening in the church in Corinth happen at our jobs, in our families, and in our schools.  They happen in our communities, in our organizations, and in our nation.  They even happen in our churches! 

We can become so exhausted by it all that we lose our energy and our hope and our desire to try to shed a little light on the darkness of division and discouragement.  Sometimes we can lose faith that Jesus can or will make a difference. 

Isaiah said it well; “I trust you to save me, Lord God, and I won’t be afraid.  My power and my strength come from you, and you have saved me.”  I am going to hold on to this promise of God!

I imagine you know someone who is exhausted or discouraged or afraid today.  For them, it may seem like forever before they will meet the goal, complete the project, or finally meet Jesus.  I invite you to take an opportunity to visit with them, pray with them, and share with them that Jesus will give them the power and strength they need for today.

As your friend invites Jesus to give them the power and strength they need, the weight of their burden will become less and the joy of their faith will be restored.  They will find a restoration of their hope and a new energy in their relationship with Jesus. 

When that happens, your friend’s heart and your heart will overflow with delight in the Lord.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug