SCRIPTURE: As your days, so shall your strength be. Deuteronomy 33:25 ESV
QUOTE: We must first get a good fair idea of the great depth of our own weakness, before we shall be able to behold the brightness of this rich and exceeding precious promise. A self-sufficient man can no more understand this promise, than a coal heaver can understand Greek: he has never been in a position in which to understand it; he has never learned his own need of another’s strength, and therefore he cannot possibly understand the value of a promise which consists in giving to us a strength beyond our own. – Charles Spurgeon, 1858
THOUGHT: We drive a 23-year-old Honda CR-V. We could afford something newer but have just chosen to enjoy the life it has in it until something gives. Sometimes I’m a little embarrassed to show up in it, but usually I feel glad when I see it in the parking lot. It’s like an old friend, a Velveteen Rabbit with one eye missing. That’s a corny example of what I’m trying to say here, but bear with me.
One of the great differences between living out our faith and trying to find life outside of God lies in this little word, “enough.” I don’t know that it happens all at once at conversion, but over time we come to see God’s provision as all we need. The ‘stuff’ becomes less important; strength beyond our own becomes more important. I think this is one reason why I have such a visceral reaction to the pot-pushers of our day stealing the word provision. It’s a sacred word used for profane purposes.
Trusting God (as Spurgeon said so eloquently) cannot come when we have everything we could possibly want. It comes as distractions are removed, as strength is tested, as we wonder and pray about where the money is going to come from, or how the disease process will end. Faith can flow into the equation when we make a choice that God can be in control of what is enough, and there is freedom in that choice.
PRAYER: You have promised to provide for those who love you, God. We are grateful and humbled by how you have done that. It’s enough that you love us. It’s enough that you give us strength and purpose and provision for each day.
Dear Reader,
I’m glad you’re along and I pray you will be blessed, challenged, and encouraged in your faith by something you read here.
There are archives by topic below – now more than 1000 of these daily meditations to browse.
ABOUT ME:
Blogger Amy Clemens is the author of Walking When You’d Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall. In it she explores childhood sexual abuse and how it impacted her faith (or lack thereof) for four decades. You’ll find not only her story, but better yet, the Big Story of God.
Check out Walking When You’d Rather Fly, and learn more about the book and Amy’s other ministries. You will also find her devotional work at Words of Hope.
FREE TO YOU:
If you’d like to be notified of this blog each weekday, please look for the little blue “follow” button below (just above the topical search), and welcome!
asipoblog.com 