Strength!

Strength!

In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Ephesians 6:10 AMPC

There is a foundation I must settle in my life, if the journey will be worth it. As always, Paul discusses various issues with the Ephesian church, ranging from living right by God's standards to proper relationships. Then, the clear understanding from most of Paul's letters is this: life is a battle. I have been called by God to fight on his behalf, to establish his purpose and counsel on the earth. It is not your usual fight, where you emphasize physical abilities, but one where God remains the only major factor that will guarantee victory.

How do i guarantee this victory? Simply by being in the Lord, relying on Him daily. It may sound odd, but it is easy to claim to trust God when things are smooth. The danger of confort is that it numbs your sense of dependence on God, and takes your eyes and heart away from Him. When my bank account smiles back at me, or my trust fund has multiple zeros, or I consider that sheer hard work has brought me to where I am now, it may be difficult to understand why I need to look up to God for anything.

True strength comes from and is found in God alone. What Jesus says in John 15 is instructive, where he confirms that 'apart from Him, ye are nothing". The world has false promises and broken dreams; the world offers false hope to those who do not know where to turn. Even the world cannot protect those who are in it. I need more than physical measures to protect me; I need more than high walls, electrified gates, armoured vehicles to keep me safe. These things have no value in the face of the fight God has called me to. All he wants from me is total surrender, absolute dependence and complete trust. Only in and through Him will all of life's experiences make sense.

He will supply all I need to make my life worth it. His strength will help me achieve things that I know I couldn't ever achieve on my own. His power is full, free and for all. I can look back now and conclude that indeed, I stand where I am today, not out of connections, ability, influence or anything personally special, but as a function of the might, power, grace, mercy and favour of God. His time of favour is here.