He's Stronger Than All of It

Dear Diary, 5 April 2012

He is stronger...


"I wanna be bigger, stronger
drive a faster car..."
(Bigger, Stronger by Coldplay)

My little cousin once had shoelace untied. He fiddled with it and struggled with it until he was frustrated. Seeing his predicament, I went over to assist. “No,” he pushed me away. “I can do it.” We both knew he couldn’t, but he wanted to think he could so that he could “prove” his “independence.” That’s just how I am with God! When a problem hits me like an ocean wave, I brace myself against it, preparing to fight the ensuing battle. Really, I’m missing the point. As a Christian, it’s my job to step aside and allow someone else to take the wave for me. That “someone”, of course, is Jesus. He decided to serve me because He loves me, loves me enough to die for me. He has said things like “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world” and “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me.”

I found something interesting in Hebrews a few weeks ago. Isn’t it funny how a concept you thought you’d mulled over umpteen times in your head can just suddenly hit you in a whole new way? Well, Hebrews 10: 12 says,

“But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.”

The key words there are “sat down”. After dying on the cross, Jesus sat down because His work was fulfilled. His one sacrifice was complete. He had come to the earth, the most lowly form the God of the universe could assume, and served us, such useless creatures that we couldn’t even live without the breath of God within us. And then, it was done. It is done.

Jesus didn’t die because He had nothing better to do one Friday afternoon. He died because it was His plan to die. Because He had to do something drastic completely separate from the way us mortals process life. King of the world, Creator of all things? Dying on the cross? What the heck?? No one knows exactly why God chose to glorify Himself in this manner. Of course, if we could understand it then that would defeat the purpose somewhat, but I think part of it has to do with the fact that our devotion would not be so personal and utterly authentic otherwise.

Still, I push Him away. Either that, or I forget to ask for His help. In cases like those, I’m like a person drowning in the sea within sight of a lifeguard. I’m kicking and frantically waving my arms, but I forget that my savior is mere meters away. All I have to do is ask.

Sometimes the lifeguard sees someone having issues and jumps in after them without being asked. Still, sometimes a drowning person can look at him and doubt. “Can he really save me?” This is the unspoken question in the back of my mind. “Can God really save me?” I’ve done so many things against Him, pushing Him away, discarding the plan He has for me, the instruction manual of life He has given me (the Bible, in case you didn’t get that). Yet, He really can. He’s stronger than all it, and the power of Jesus’ grace allows me to stand blameless before Him.

Like the lifeguard, God is underestimated, too. When I look at the stories in the Bible, like that one about Peter and John, I can’t believe the unrestrained faith they have. Of course, they had seen Jesus themselves. Peter had personally experienced the affect of being forgiven by Jesus. But still, there are others without that benefit who have gone on to accomplish miracles beyond my realm of thought.

Why can’t I just trust Him? Why must I try to do everything on my own first, and then, once I’m all burnt out, go to God? He has told us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (1 Corinthians 12:8). His power is great, encompassing all, holding all things together. Who am I to doubt its validity?

“Who has a claim against Me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me,” God laughs in Job 41:11. Later, through Isaiah, He added, “Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed Him as His counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the right way? Who was it that taught Him knowledge or showed Him the path of understanding?”

God holds me in His hands. Like Job, I am forced to admit “I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” (42:3). Throughout my days, when I’m drowning or I’m living it up, I need to remember that “The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving towards all He has made. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” (Ps 145:17-18)

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