Advent
December 18, 2014
Scripture Reading: Romans 16:25-27
Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages— Romans 16:25
During after dinner conversation on Thanksgiving Day, I bragged about the fact that I had finally reached my goal of being able to push my weight on a leg press machine at my gym. Family members just nodded rather politely but my former high school football-playing grandnephew stated rather matter-of-factly that he could push four times his weight. Do you have any idea how much work it took to reach that level?
My trainer says that the difference between me, whose exercise goals are to move without pain and continue to do the routine functions of daily living as independently as possible as long as possible, and an athlete is that most athletes don’t have a stop button. They work through strain and even sometimes pain when the rest of us would be backing off or nursing an ice pack or heating pad. Athletes often require an outside source like a trainer or a coach to say you cannot do that as it may result in permanent, irreparable damage.
This truth applies to our faith strength training as well. We must be an athlete of faith investing our time, talent, and treasure in strengthening our faith until we test God’s parameters of growth and he ultimately says, Well done my good and faithful servant. (Matthew 25:23) Take heart, like a good trainer and coach, God is with us each step of the process and it is God who is the source of our strength and it is God who will catch us when we occasionally get off balance and start to fall.
Prayer:Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever. Amen.*