"He maketh me to lie down"...because
I need rest...because I need restoration...because He wants
to spend some time with me. Humanly speaking this looks like
a failure, a fink-out or a serious attempt to flee the work.
But it is none of these...rather, it is part of His plan to
"perfect that which concerneth me."
Bless the Lord, beloved! You are of them that
"Out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight,
and put to flight the armies of the aliens" (Hebrews
11:34).
If
weakness is the general human condition, we can really only
survive in the strength of Christ. There is a constant appeal
from many quarters to become strong; and a consequent disapproval
of weakness. And in a certain human sense, strength is admirable
and weakness to be avoided. On the other hand, it is important
to recognize the limits of human strength and to recognize
the potentials of weakness in all of us humans. In many ways
we humans are very fragile. Life always hangs by a thin thread.
James says that life is but a vapor "that appeareth for
a time and vanisheth away." The immediate instant is
all that we really have. The recognition of our weakness and
fragility is as important as the recognition of our strength
and capacities. Until we have plumbed the depths of our own
weakness, we will never know the adequacy of the grace of
God. In fact, weakness is the matrix in which the strength
of God is formed in our lives. Paul tells the Corinthians
that it is the weak of the world that God uses to bring to
naught the mighty. Too much strength in the flesh can sometimes
get in the way of the working of the Spirit.
Let
us then join with Paul and hear our Saviour say, "My
grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect
in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in
my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s
sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong" (II Corinthians
12:9,10).
Every
good blessing be yours!
+Aaron
I
Love Horatius Bonar's words:
I have no help but thine; nor do I need
another arm save thine to lean upon;
it is enough, my Lord, enough indeed;
my strength is in thy might, thy might alone.
Mine
is the sin, but thine the righteousness;
Mine is the guilt, but thine the cleansing blood;
Here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace,
Thy blood, thy righteousness, O Lord my God
