Reflection on Psalm 80:1-7
"Our God make us strong again. Smile on us and save us."
we like to be strong and powerful, influential or at least in control of our lives.
But what if God has called us to be insignificant and weak, the butt of everybody's jokes?
What if it's God's intention for the church to grow in weakness. pouring its life (i.e. our lives) out in worship?
What if the way to life is through death? And the way to greatness is through being trampled over?
If these thoughts of mine have any particle of divine inspiration then perhaps we need to stop looking for respect, honour and favour in the community, for glowing reports in the media.
As Rozina keeps asking, "Are we looking for the wrong kind of revival?"
In the end it's all about being the people God has called us to be, and if that carries no respect in the eyes of the world, if there is no strength or favour to be won, then that's the way we must walk.
Lord Jesus you chose the cross. We'd much rather have the throne. Yet you call us to your way. May we indeed find life through choosing the cross.
We could easily be strong by God's definition, but be weak by our own. Even among people, we define things differently. If someone said that Mr. X was strong, some people would immediately think he was a great leader. Other people would think of physical strength, others might jump to the conclusion that the person needs a shower.Perhaps insignificant and weak are just our definition, maybe God sees strength in things we don't.
ReplyDeleteInteresting thoughts, I think God has a role for us all, we just have to struggle to find it sometimes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments.It probably is a matter of what we value in our hearts. In the Old Testament, Israel constantly sought to be "like the nations"- valuing human leadership in the shape of a king, putting trust in military might etc. They rarely worked out that their trust should be in the Lord and that their calling was very different to that of "the nations."The church as institution in this age is very similar- but I think we will see a very different attitude emerge in the church as we get back to walking humbly with God.
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