If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
Summary: Faith is trusting that God will provide strength for the task at hand. Our part is to praise God through Jesus Christ.
I ought to inscribe today’s verse on the inside of my glasses. That way, it would always be before me.
In all things, praise God through Jesus Christ.
King David was someone who embodies this saying. I admire David’s awareness of God in almost every situation. He stumbled once or twice, but he remembers God more often than I do. And courage? The man had immense courage. Taking on Goliath as a young man was gutsy. When he confronts Goliath face to face, he says;
“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head.” (1 Samuel 17: 45-46)
It was not David who was going to have victory over Goliath, it was the Lord. David walked out to meet Goliath. David had words with Goliath. David put the rock in the sling and took aim at Goliath. Yet it was the Lord who delivered Goliath into David’s hand.
In the same way, if God has called you to serve, all you need to do is show up. Do what you know how to do. Give the glory to God. Whatever happens after that is in God’s hands. Even if the outcome is not what we wanted, it will be what God wants. (Romans 8:28)
Application: T.E.A. = Trust God. Expect miracles. Act in faith.
Food for Thought: What does it mean to serve ”with the strength God provides?”
To me to serve with the strength God provides would be using the talents and gift he has given me along with his strength of the Holy Spirit.
Thanks, Tim.
It is amazing to be lifted up by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Thank you for the devotion. And Tim, you are an example of serving in the strength that God provides.
Serving in the power of the Holy Spirit, or in the strength that God provides, means to trust Him and depend on Him rather than in my own abilities, resources or strength. Zechariah 4: 6. Psalm 118: 8 – 9.
Thank you, Rich.
You are an incredible example of one who relies on God’s strength.
You got it Tim,
What does it mean to serve ”with the strength God provides?”
When we try to be strong in our strength, we don’t give Jesus the opportunity to live through us. When we become weak, surrender to God, become dependent on Him, we allow Jesus to live through us, and act by His power and strength. A personal, meaningful relationship with God will give us the spiritual energy and strength we need to effectively deal with the ruler of this world.
2 Corinthians 12:10, That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Isaiah 40:28-31, Psalm 138:3
Ron,
You have provided an interesting contrast to the world’s values:
“become weak, surrender to God.” Doing that every minute of every day unlocks God’s power in us. In a sense, our job is to get out of the way, and as you said, let God live through us.
Yes indeed! If I can just stop tripping over my own feet.
🙂
The part in the verse,..so that in all things God may be praised through Christ Jesus,…serving with strength could be comforting someone you love that has just experienced a death of the one they love,..the love God gave us was through His Son Jesus on a cross.
Strength comes in all forms,..physical, mental, as Tim stated talented and gifted,..it takes strength to be there for someone who just lost a loved one,..and in all circumstances we need to be thankful because that is God’s will for us through Christ,..Unfortunately death happens to be a circumstance in life and we should be thankful,..thankful for the time we spent with the person, thankful for the life they lived and shared with others, thankful for the love they gave,..the list goes on,..
Now the strength comes when you are asked to write a page or two about the person and stand in front of a crowd to read it,..and God would and does provide that strength for us to stand bold and read from the heart so that He will be praised through His Son Jesus,..He that is in me is stronger than I will ever be,..God’s strength in me is His Son Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit works to glorify that name through me,..
My sister in law has just lost her recently married husband,..a week and a half happily married to be exact,..yes,..strength through Christ is necessary in this life and the life to come,..rejoice and be thankful in ALL circumstances for this is God’s will for us through Christ our Lord,..
John,
Thank you for sharing. Your message has extra power because of the tragedy of your sister-in-law’s loss. You make a very important point; we can take nothing for granted in this life. Not even the next five minutes. Whether we need strength to face sudden personal loss or to help others through their loss we still need the strength God provides. I pray that God will bless both of you with the strength you need most.
👍🏻