Strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees

In sharing on Hebrews 12 this week, I definitely feel that verse 12and 13 are my highlights. I offer them to you and pray that they may be a blessing to you.

"Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. (NIV)

"So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. (NLT)

"So don’t sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it!" (The Message)

I pray that God would strength your tired hands and shaky knees. May you know his strength as you walk forward in faith. 

If you would like to listen to the audio podcast of the Bible Study, you are welcome to click here.

Living in Grace

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Pushed to my knees!

When Paul proclaimed that he was okay about his weaknesses, because they allowed God's strength to be revealed (2 Corinthians 12), I wondered how I could get to that same place. To be content in all situations is a hard journey to take.

However, as I re-read these words, from Eugene Peterson's paraphrase (The Message), I began to understand more of what this would require from me. And in truth, it is the simple knowledge, that when I am pushed down by my weaknesses and struggles, then I am moved into the best pose for honest prayer!

^7-10 Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first, I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:1-12

Action: If you would like to listen to my 20-minute podcast reflection on this passage, you are welcome to follow this link. 

Living in Grace

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P.S. Please let me know if the link works for the podcast. Thanks so much 

When grace is enough to get us through today!

"My grace is enough; it’s all you need.

My strength comes into its own in your weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:9

How many times have we stressed over our weaknesses and wondered who will notice our inadequacies? Paul's honest vulnerability is refreshing and he boldly states: "Christ's power works through our weaknesses, so I have learnt to be 'okay' about admitting my weaknesses" (my version of his thoughts).

May the Grace of Jesus carry you through today and may we rest in the promise that 'HIS GRACE IS ENOUGH!'

“I am struck by how sharing our weakness and difficulties is more nourishing to others than sharing our qualities and successes.”
― Jean Vanier

Living in Grace

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Power and weakness...

"Power corrupts the few, while weakness corrupts the many." - Eric Hoffer

You may need to read the quote again to fully grasp the value in the words.
It is interesting for me that I often believe that the world is full of "corrupt" people and there are too "few" good people out there. However, maybe Eric Hoffer is on to something - maybe we get to hear more about the corrupt leaders, because we like to see them fall and humbled. The rest of us feel like victims of these powerful people, yet there could be many 'weaknesses' in us that are equally crippling to others.

So, the challenging question I pose to myself is this:
"Is there a weakness in me that causes harm to others?"

Isaiah 53:4 -  Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!

Living in Grace
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Too weak to carry on? - Lent 5

Have you ever been so tired that you struggled to get up in the morning? It is a strange feeling to be mentally awake, but to have your body ignore your 'get up' prompts. There are some of us who equally feel so emotionally drained that they can't even more - it is as if every thought takes all your energy! Is this perhaps what was happening in this scripture?

"Her princes are like starving deer searching for pasture.
They are too weak to run from the pursuing enemy." - Lamentations 1:6

The pursuing enemy could be a whole lot of different things for each one of us, but we all feel that something may be hounding us. If you feel you are too weak to run from the enemy, then allow the protection of God's Love to enfold you and sustain you. 

Let God be your strength.

"If what's ahead scares you,
And what's behind hurts you,
Just look above. He never fails to help you." - Unknown

Living in Grace
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When I am weak, then I am strong

"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." - 2 Corinthians 12:10

This passage has always intrigued me. How easy was it for Paul to write, "... I delight in hardships... in difficulties... ?" I mean, who actually likes going through times of trial and pain? I am yet to meet someone who thinks these things are nice.

Perhaps it is the collective years of wisdom that reminds Paul that when we are at our weakest, God's power has the perfect chance to shine the strongest. God's presence in our lives can turn any weakness into a strength.

Thank you Lord for standing alongside us, even when we are weak. Your strength makes me strong!

Living in Grace
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Admitting our weakness

Today's reflection from our friend, Thomas, makes interesting reading. It still amazes me that he was writing in a totally different era to us (early 15th century) and yet I feel as if he is writing with an acute knowledge of our times.

"What a strange life! Trouble and misery are always in stock. Traps and enemies are abundant. When one problem retreats, another takes its place. And sometimes the second difficulty doesn't wait for the first to be resolved."

It is in the context of the life's troubles that he realizes his need of God. Thomas a Kempis needed to admit his own weaknesses. "You know how frail I am Lord. Have mercy on me."

Identifying our weaknesses and then admitting them to Jesus is a hard thing. As Humbling as it can be, I feel it puts us in a great place to receive mercy from God.

What are your weaknesses? Are you willing to admit them to God today?

Living in grace
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