In strength circles, the deadlift is the standard set for great strength and whoever lifts the most in that type of lift is considered to be the strongest person alive. The world record for the deadlift is 1,105.5 lbs and the person who achieved this record is Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and it was accomplished at Thor's Power Gym, in Iceland on May 2, 2020. Quite a feat of strength and so far beyond what a normal person could lift, but not so strong in comparison to the one who holds the stars in His hands and makes the planets rotate around His sun. Our God is an awesome God. Rich Mullins penned these lyrics to music in the song Awesome God. When He rolls up His sleeves He ain't just putting on the Ritz (our God is an awesome God) There's thunder in His footsteps and lightning in His fists (our God is an awesome God) And the Lord wasn't joking when He kicked 'em out of Eden It wasn't for no reason that He shed His blood His return is very close and so you better be believing that our God is an awesome God Our God is an awesome God, He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love. Our God is an awesome God Our God is an awesome God, He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love Our God is an awesome God. The power of God is real and ever-present.
Man's feats of strength fall miserably short when compared to the power of God. So why doubt God's power from time to time? That doubt is fostered by our enemy, Satan. He is our adversary and he wants us to doubt God in everything so he can rule in our minds and our lives. Life situations lead us down that path of doubt and then our enemy jumps in and tries to weaken our resolve. Something that is important to keep in mind is the power of God is the source of our resolve. So our faith kindles a flame of strength and hope that is unsurpassed and protected from any arrows from our enemy.
Our doubting God to go before is almost laughable if it wasn't so tragic. The following story speaks to the heart of our situation.
One New Year's Day, in the Tournament of Roses parade, a beautiful float suddenly sputtered and quit. It was out of gas. The whole parade was held up until someone could get a can of gas. The amusing thing was this float represented the Standard Oil Company. With its vast oil resources, its truck was out of gas. Think about it....The ones who should realize and live in the power of God should be those who realize that power to "save" and experience redemption. Yet we don't access that power source and many times stall out because we have not accessed that power. So sad!
God has given us "vast resources" that are far beyond what we can imagine or understand, Paul wrote the following to the church in Ephesus in Ephesians 3:20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. You might say "We give God the proper glory when we acknowledge HIS power and trust in HIS power to do the heavy lifting for us. In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul shares about a thorn in his flesh and about his trust in God to work through him even with the thorn. 2 Corinthians 12:8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Almighty God is Our Constant Strength, and He holds us in His hands. Since he can control our universe and our world, He's got this! The power of God is real and when he spoke to the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah these words were reassuring for them and for us. Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
11 “See, all your angry enemies lie there, confused and humiliated. Anyone who opposes you will die and come to nothing.12 You will look in vain for those who tried to conquer you. Those who attack you will come to nothing.13 For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.
Do you need a power surge in your life today? I know I do and I am relying on God for the strength to live this day to fullest, and that fullest is found in Him! He is Our Constant Strength. Hear Peter's words in 2 Peter 1:3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
The Pilgrimage Continues
David Warren