Advent
November 28, 2014
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
[God] will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. — 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
I do believe that God strengthens people inexplicably in sudden unpredictable crisis, like fireman, carrying someone they normally could not lift, out of a burning building to save his or her life. Most of the time our strength in God comes from our practicing the disciplines of faith. In this time of inward searching we need to consider our dedication to practicing such disciplines so that we can be prepared for the ministries God is calling us to do.
It is a fact that I have bad knees. Well, actually my left knee is pretty good because I have only had it for five years and it is made of stainless steel. I can’t say the same about my right knee, but one of my goals in life is to strengthen the muscles and ligaments surrounding both knees so they work as well as possible as long as possible. I think that is a good metaphor for our practice of the spiritual disciplines. The writer of Hebrews put it this way.
Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. (Hebrews 12:11-12)
While the admonition certainly applies to real knees, I think Hebrews is using an old idiom to get a point across…. if someone goes weak at the knees, they feel as if they might fall down because they have a sudden strong emotion about something or someone.* In our world today we must be prepared for many emotional challenges as well as physical ones. Praying routinely, studying scripture regularly, taking time to meditate, practicing silence in the presence of God, serving others, and worshipping alone plus in community with other believers will all strengthen not only our weak knees but will heal our souls.
Prayer: Lord God, strengthen our weak knees and heal our souls so that we might be active participants in your nation working to bring about wholeness, oneness, and justice to everyone. Amen.
*Cambridge Idioms Dictionary, 2nd ed. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006.
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.