Gaining Strength From God's Weakness

"Today's Devotion" For August 8, 2005

Read: I Kings 19:9-18; I Corinthians 1:18-31

GAINING STRENGTH FROM GOD'S WEAKNESS

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than Man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than Man's strength." (I Cor. 1:25)

In the Lutheran Church, as is true in a number of Christian denominations, the ordination of a man into the Office of the Public Ministry is a special and wondrous event. Throughout the history of the Christian church, the ordination of a pastor or priest has been a singular event that "sets apart and marks for service" one whom God has given a special call to be a "steward of the mysteries of God" (I Cor. 4:1). Such a man, according to God's call, has a special responsibility from God to faithfully "train and equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ" (Eph. 4:12). This special calling and the ordination that marks it doesn't give anyone any more power or authority than anyone else. Rather, one so called and ordained is held to a higher standard by God in terms of behavior, rightly handling the Word of Truth, and stewardship of the Means of Grace (the Word and the Sacraments) - the "mysteries of God."

Yesterday afternoon, at a Lutheran Church in the inner city of Milwaukee, I had the privilege of participating in the ordination of a newly-minted seminary graduate into the Office of the Public Ministry, as well as his installation as the new pastor of the congregation. This congregation's pastor of some 30-plus years, and a good friend and mentor, "retired" over a year-and-a-half ago, but has continued to serve the congregation while they prayed and awaited God's choosing and sending of the "right man" for that congregation's unique ministry. It was a moving event, with pastors from sister congregations and other ministries of the church laying their hands upon the new pastor and sharing with him the powerful and strengthening Word of God, encouraging and exhorting him to carry out his new ministry and charge faithfully and confidently with the help of God. The response of the congregation was joyous and hopeful as they rejoiced that God has remembered His people in that place and given them a shepherd and overseer of the flock.

So, too, had the Prophet Elijah been called, chosen, and set aside by God to proclaim His Word and encourage God's people with His promises of redemption and love. While Elijah did so boldly and confidently, there were times, as our reading for today indicates, when he doubted and was afraid. At one point, as noted in today's reading, Elijah found himself in a situation where it seemed as if nothing he did made any difference at all in the lives of the people of God. He was convinced he was a failure as a messenger of God. He believed that, in the face of all the trials and tribulations that were attending his prophetic ministry, no one else was left to be faithful to God except him. From his vantage point, the enemies of God and His people held all the cards and had all the power. God quickly dissuades Elijah of that idea. Despite being a prophet of God, Elijah had forgotten that God works in wondrous ways that no one can control and that no one can truly fathom.

Elijah's challenge was no different than what Paul faced in Corinth or our newly ordained pastor will face in his inner city congregation in Milwaukee. All around us in the world are doubt and disdain for the Word of God and the message of the Gospel. Even God's people get discouraged and push aside His Word. By the world's standards, Jesus' suffering and death on the Cross for the salvation of the world from Sin, Death, and Satan was an act of pure foolishness and weakness. Yet, just as God reminded Elijah with His presence in the "still, small voice" (I Kings 19:12b), God's foolishness makes our human wisdom insignificant and His weakness is far more powerful than any strength we human beings might have.

As we live our lives of faith each day, we do so buoyed by the wisdom of God's foolishness in the Cross of Christ, and strengthened by His weakness in our Savior's suffering and death in our place. As that "newly-minted" pastor was encouraged yesterday by his fellow pastors to faithfully and confidently declare the foolishness and weakness of God and fulfill his ministry, so also are all of God's people called to share God's love in Christ with everyone we meet. Joyfully then, we gain strength from God's weakness and wisdom from His foolishness, trusting fully in Christ's redemption of us by His death on the Cross. How wonderful are the opportunities God gives us each day to share His love in Christ. As we have heard and received it, so also we share it with others so they, too, might be saved.

Prayer: Father, it's very easy to be discouraged by the world's negative reception of the message of the Cross and the power of the Gospel. It's not too difficult to be discouraged as Elijah was, and to believe that, in so many cases in life, I'm the only one left who is faithful to You and understands what Your saying. Forgive me for such arrogance and unbelief, for to believe that I'm alone is to fail to believe Your promises to me in Jesus. Help me to draw strength from Your Word each day that my faith and trust in You might be strengthened and I might be better equipped every day to declare Your "foolishness" and rejoice in Your "weakness." In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright @2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.