WHEN I AM WEAK

PART ONE

REALITY CHECK

While talking to His disciples Jesus revealed to them that in Jerusalem He would be made to suffer. He told them that He would be put to death but on the third day He would rise again. Peter pulled Him to the side and rebuked Him. He said to Jesus ”Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!”

I find it amazing that Jesus JUST revealed He would rise again after three days of His death and Peter only focused on the suffering and death part. Maybe Peter thought ‘rising from the dead’ was some sort of metaphor or maybe he was so disturbed at the thought of Jesus dying that he didn’t quite catch that part.

In response, Jesus turns back to the other disciples and rebukes Peter in front of them all. “Get behind me, Satan!” He said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matt 16:21-23; Mark 8:31-33).

Can you imagine Peter’s confusion and embarrassment? His intention was to reassure Jesus, maybe even scold Him a little for having such negative thoughts and then Jesus, in front of all the other disciples, practically calls him Satan.

Eventually Peter realized that the suffering Jesus endured was all part of God’s plan. That without it salvation could not be offered to the world. Peter’s desire not to see Christ suffer and die would have been Satan’s desire also.

Jesus was not spared His suffering, not even when He asked His Father God if that would be a possibility (Luke 22:42). Instead, He suffered and He died. But that, of course, was not the end. He rose from the dead. The ultimate good--salvation for all came from the ultimate bad--the sacrifice of God’s Son.

Peter did not see, at first, any purpose in Jesus’ having to suffer. It wasn’t until the plan was completed that all the pieces fell into place and all that Jesus taught finally made sense.

That is the way it is for most things isn’t it? We don’t see any good in something until it is done. We don’t see the good in exercise or dieting until we have been doing it enough to feel more energetic and fit into our clothes again. Disciplining our children is no fun until we start seeing them become polite and responsible people. There are many things we suffer through hoping good will come of it.

But God has promised those who love Him that, “He will make all things work for good” (Romans 8:28). ALL THINGS—including suffering. We don’t have to just hope for something good to result from it, we can know there is a purpose for what we go through. We can know that God is working on something good.

Even with the knowledge that God is using our pain for something good we don’t always get the luxury of knowing what that good actually is. Sometimes we never find out. Yet how many times have we heard those who have endured hardship say things like

I realized what my priorities are;

I didn’t know how caring people were;

I’ve learned so much;

I wouldn’t change it;

I’ll never forget….

Sadly, Sometimes it takes a tragedy, large or small, to stop us in our tracks and force us to see who or what we are really putting our faith in.

If we put our faith in our jobs –and we lose it.

If we put our faith in our family- and they leave us.

If we put our faith in ourselves- and we get sick.

It is then that we might realize how small our faith is in God. It is when He holds us as we weep and works on our hearts as it lay broken that our faith grows.

Upon hearing Jesus speak of His impending suffering Peter totally missed the part of His resurrection. Peter focused on the suffering and in doing so felt the need to control the situation by taking Jesus aside and rebuking Him. Jesus had to remind him that he “did not have the mind of God”. It was a reminder that God was in control…as it should be. Even in the Garden when Jesus asked if His suffering was necessary He still acknowledged God’s control with the words, “not my will, but thine”.

It is difficult in the middle of our suffering to focus on what God might have in mind. Especially when the answer is not always revealed to us. But we don’t need to have all the answers. That is the luxury of not having to be in control. It can bring us comfort just to know that there is indeed a plan for us. A purpose for what we endure here on earth.

This is perhaps what Paul meant by, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). We, in our weakness, discover we can trust God. In our brokenness we give up control to Him and with God in control we are indeed strong.

Whom Shall I Fear?

Who are we more afraid of offending – God or man? The Creator or the created? If I had to answer that honestly, I would have to say that I am more afraid of offending my fellow human beings.

Although I may feel a tinge of guilt when I substitute prayer time for facebook time, I certainly am not afraid of doing so. Yet, put me in a position where my faith will be suddenly revealed in my opinions and my mind races for the right words that won’t offend.

If I say, “As a Christian I believe…” will I be labeled as a Jesus freak? If so, is that bad?

Should I allow my son to wear his vacation bible T-shirt to school? If not, what answer do I give to his question, “Why not?”

Will my cross necklace offend my co-workers?

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

It seems illogical to have more fear for my fellow man that the God who created us all. But let’s face it… man can be mean.

We glare, roll our eyes, argue and bring lawsuits.

God is loving, merciful and forgiving.

We belittle and accuse others of being ignorant or intolerant.

God is quiet, patient and compassionate.

Jeremiah was a prophet of God. It was his job to tell the people of Judah that because of all the years they defied God by worshipping man-made idols instead of the God who led them out of Egypt, He was going to allow Babylon to conquer them and take them captive. Needless to say, Jeremiah did not want the job! He did not want to be God’s spokesman in a time when people would literally kill the messenger.

God said to Jeremiah:

“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you.

Do not be terrified by them or I will terrify you before them.”

-Jeremiah 1:17

I know, I know, Jeremiah had an unfair advantage right? God spoke to him directly. There is no doubt in our minds that we would be bolder on behalf of God if He spoke directly to us!

Yet Jeremiah tells us…

“The Word of the Lord came to me saying…”

-Jeremiah 1:14

Wait! Don’t we also have the Word of the Lord? Can’t we indeed hold it in our hands? (Can’t you just hear Jeremiah saying, “If only I had your words in writing Lord, so I could be sure of what you said…”)

It is hard to imagine standing up and speaking the Word of God in the face of death when we have so much trouble speaking the Word of God in the face of… being politically incorrect.

Jesus said, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him.” (Luke 9:26)

These are the words that haunt me as I walk among my fellow man. Words that embolden me to say out loud, “As a Christian I believe…” even as my heart pounds in fear of the reaction I will get.

Because God is merciful and loving I know He is forgiving when I don’t have the courage to reveal proudly who I am through Christ. But the thought of this same merciful and forgiving God being ashamed of me for hiding my faith- cuts me to the core.

So I will strive to walk this perishable life in such a way that when it is finished I will hear the words “Well done good and faithful servant”. I will struggle to ‘set my mind on things above, not on earthly things’ (Col 3:2). I will fear God more than man but I will also take refuge in Him whom I fear. For what He said to Jeremiah He also says to me.

“Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you.”

-Jeremiah 1:8