From the Pastor: Weekly Word 6-26-19

Greetings Everyone!

This spring we had a mourning dove lay a couple of eggs in a planter basket right outside our kitchen window. We watched as both the father and mother dove incubated their eggs. After they hatched they lovingly tended their weak helpless babies and kept them safe from harm as they grew. One day both babies were out of the nest. One was never seen again...presumably taken by a predator. The other hung around in or around the nest, being protected by the parents, until it was strong enough to take care of itself.

Ironically the baby birds were strongest when they were weakest. When they were still in their eggs they were covered by a hard shell and were kept warm, dry and hidden by their parents 24 hours a day.

This is a great analogy for our Christian lives. We often have physical issues or injuries that are ongoing and constant. It’s not that unusual to suffer in this way. The apostle Paul also suffered from some type of physical pain or injury. He tells us about it in 2 Corinthians chapter 12:

2 Corinthians 12:7 But to keep me from being puffed up with pride because of the many wonderful things I saw, I was given a painful physical ailment, which acts as Satan's messenger to beat me and keep me from being proud. 
2 Corinthians 12:8 Three times I prayed to the Lord about this and asked him to take it away. 
2 Corinthians 12:9 But his answer was: "My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak." I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ's power over me.
2 Corinthians 12:10 I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

There is speculation that this could have been a painful eye condition. Notice that Paul PLEADED with God to relief him of this ailment. But God would not do it. Instead God let Paul know that he was suffering this ailment so that he would be MORE dependent on God and less dependent on himself. In this way the power of Christ was STRONG in Paul.

Have we ever thought of our physical pains and ailments in this way...as an opportunity to let God work in us in a more powerful way? It seems counter intuitive that when we’re feeling sick and weak that Christ can be strongest in us...but it’s true. God’s strength and protection are greatest when we are weak and dependent on him.

So let’s remember the lesson of the mourning doves and remember that God is infinitely more loving, protective and concerned about us than birds are for their young. God is our parent and protective shell when we’re at our weakest.

Take care and see you soon….

Doug