The Power of Christ

We like the promise of a sure thing, don't we?  Unknowns and uncertainties weigh upon our minds and can paralyse us with worry, fear, and frustration.  We like guarantees even when the assurance provided by a seller may not be worth the paper it is written on.  As our experiences stack up over the years there is likely a growing list of occasions we have been cheated, lied to, and taken advantage of.  All this works to make us cynical and skeptical of finding honesty and fairness in the world.  When we walk by sight this jaded perspective can cloud our view of God and undermine faith in Him.

It has been quipped the only things you can count on in life is death and taxes, but in reality there could be much added to the list:  in this world are liars, cheaters, hypocrites, thieves, and unscrupulous, greedy people.  But I am glad to say there is one Being we can count on who alone is greater than all the evil the world can conjure up:  God!  We can count on God's goodness, love, grace, and provision in all circumstances of life.  Claims of a "cure-all" drug or tonic rightly should be met with skepticism, but God has proven He is a Saviour of all who trust in Him.  Christians can have the absolute confidence of a young child in his father's strength because Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death by His death and resurrection.  He has without fail provided forgiveness and eternal life for all who trust in Him.

Some Christians place a great deal of emphasis on the fact Jesus healed all who were brought to Him to assert God's will is all can be immediately healed of their infirmities:  if we continue to suffer from a condition or deformity it is likely because we have not adequately placed faith in God.  Now it is true Jesus healed all brought to Him, and I believe it is God's will to heal.  But I believe Jesus healed all to show there was no malady, illness, or condition beyond His power to heal--not to say in every case He will bring immediate physical healing.  It is evident there are things God allows on earth which were never His will:  sin, disease, and death.  God is not willing any should perish but there are many who do.  God is able to redeem even a most awful thing like the crucifixion of the righteous Son of God to accomplish His good purposes.

God provides a great blessing to us by the unknowns in this life because they drive us to despair or to trust Him more.  Because they failed to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan God allowed them to remain to test His people, to see if they would trust and obey Him or not.  He compared the enemies He allowed to dwell among them as "snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish..." (Joshua 23:13).  God allowed a "messenger of Satan," a spiritual entity to buffet Paul, and he prayed it would depart from him.  It may be a shock to us God would say "No" to Paul three times, but God had His own purposes behind it.  2 Corinthians 12:9-10 relates, "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

In everything God allows His grace is sufficient for us.  We prefer to immediately remove what we perceive to be the source of discomfort, to be physically healed, to be delivered from messengers of Satan, but sometimes for His own reasons God lovingly declines.  It was in the season of pain and certainty of difficulty the power of Christ rested upon Paul.  Isn't that a worthy trade in our favour, to be permitted to suffer what we know God could heal or drive away in an instant so we might walk in God's grace, increased faith, and the power of Christ?  Do you see it?  Jesus Christ is the only One we can count on, our only Refuge, the only path to healing, deliverance, and eternal life.  Righteous Job said of God, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him..." (Job 13:15).  Let us boldly come before God's throne room of grace to seek Him and the healing only He can supply, believing He will ultimately do so, leaving the timing of the thing to Him.  In the meantime may we walk in the power of Christ and have all confidence in our great God, the Saviour and lover of our souls.