WHERE I AM WEAK, HE IS STRONG

Because my desire is to follow Christ I have set a standard in my actions and words that starts in my heart. Since I first learned of my Lord’s love and chose to follow Him I have learned much from His Word about who He created me to be. I have let Him, others, and myself down many times, but as with a toddler learning to walk or even for a frail elderly person struggling to maintain balance, He has provided helping hands along the way. Where I am weak, He is strong and when I am low, He lifts me up. He holds out His arms and says, “Come unto Me,” and I gladly stumble into His warm embrace.
“For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
When I started my walk with Christ I saw it pretty much as just Him and me but looking back over the many years between then and now, I realize more and more that many people have been a part of God’s workmanship that has gone into helping me become who I am today. Following time spent in fellowship and worship with my church family, I come away with my heart overflowing with thankfulness as I remember that even before the creation of the world God knew exactly what each one of us was going to need so He planned for us to have this Family while we are here on earth. We are here “to do good works” to teach, set examples, physically help, and spiritually encourage each other.
While we are blissfully involved in our Family Circle though, there are those on the outside who longingly observe the attitudes displayed…the helping hand offered with no expectation of being repaid, the infirm taken to medical appointments, yard-work done for seniors, lunch shared with the lonely, and really happy people even though their circumstances are less than ideal. A great desire arises in the hearts of others, particularly those who are searching, to have what they see in Christians. Our friends, co-workers, and neighbors know we are Christians and because they see what we have, they know they want to join hands with our Lord and us as we walk side-by-side on this path. (If you have a doubt about this effect, please remember that God sees into hearts; we don’t. God is all-powerful; we aren’t. He can work through us in ways that amaze and astound…even us! When our children were in their early to upper teens, we moved next-door to a family with two toddler boys. We grew to love that family dearly and while it should not have been, it was a happy surprise a few months later when the young mother asked if she could come to church with us. She wanted the older of the two boys in Sunday School. Actually, I should have been the one to invite her, but God was working even so! This young mother saw God’s effect in the lives of our family and wanted His Love to permeate her family in a similar manner. Where I was weak, He was strong!)
As surely as it is impossible for me to do everything everywhere all the time, with God it is possible; He has brought and continues to bring people into my life to help fill in the chinks in my armor, to cheer me on to finish the fight, to help fill up my soul. Though I still manage to mangle many of the good things I set out to do, even when I falter He sees my heart and because He loves me, He never tires of saying, “Come unto Me,” and I never tire of falling into His strong, loving embrace.
© Marilyn Sue (Libby) Moore 6-9-2010