Thought for Today
Psalm 21:13 Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.
Proverbs 3:27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.
“We talk a great deal about human power and about the vast forces which we now control. But the real characteristic of human beings is not their power but their weakness. Life has surrounded us with weakness, although Christ has surrounded us with glory, so that we may remember that the weakness is ours and the glory is God’s, and recognize our own utter dependence on him.” (Daily Devotions with William Barclay, pg. 207)
Much of Barclay’s writing was done in the 1950s. He certainly knew about the power of the weaponry used in WWII, it’s incredible destructive power and lasting impact. He witnessed the earliest emergence of computers. I do not know whether or not he ever read the works of George Orwell or contemplated the potential for the misuse of so much of our modern technology.
I do spend a great deal of time reading the works of William Barclay, however, because he was a great scholar and in all of his work I find a great compassion and pastoral care for God’s children. He was a great teacher and has greatly influenced my own ministry.
This morning, I wonder what Barclay would think about the current resurgence of authoritarianism and the fascination with and admiration for power. His words from almost a century ago are certainly equally true today, “We talk a great deal about human power and the vast forces which we now control.” My only quibble with his words is the use of “control.”
Often, as I think about issues and concerns in daily life, I search them out in scripture. One of the illustrative things to consider is the frequency with which an idea, issue or concern appears in the Bible. For what it’s worth, depending on the translation, the word power appears 229-406 times in the Bible. The word weakness appears 7-12 times. Does this suggest a biblical preference for power over weakness? Was Paul so focused on God’s omnipotence as opposed to human weakness because of some inherent weakness in Paul himself?
And, as I wonder what Barclay would think about our current society, what might Paul think about our fascination with power and its use and misuse? It is obvious in the first appearance of human conflict in the Bible that both Cain and Abel had access to weaponry and presumably the physical strength to access that weaponry. In that story in Genesis, the weaponry is not specified. Presumably, Cain bashed Abel over the head with a rock. But the issue there and everywhere else in scripture is not who has the most destructive weaponry; it is not who is most willing and able to deploy that weaponry. The question is always about the use and misuse. All weaponry, all power has the potential for beneficence and maleficence, for use and misuse.
Listen to all that talk in the news today “about human power and about the vast forces which we now control.” Whether the topic is national or international news, the emphasis is most often about the tactics or weaponry. Rarely do leaders at any level of government address the beneficence or maleficence. I have never heard any politician address the issue of the weakness of ‘our side.’ I cannot imagine any politician in our society ever suggesting that “the weakness is ours” much less ever mentioning “the glory is God’s,” or “our own utter dependence on him.”
As Christians, we should always remember the truth that all real power resides with our Creator God. We are his creatures and should always remember that and recognize our own utter dependence on God. God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent.
Know God, rely on God in all things, trust God,
Pastor Ray