“As a belt clings to a person’s waist, so I created Judah and Israel to cling to me,” says the LORD.  They were to be my people, my pride, my glory–an honour to my name, but they would not listen to me.”

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

…but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day. 

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of [all] who through faith…were made strong out of weakness…

I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. … The LORD preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. … What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD…

Jer.13:11 NLT; Mt.11:28 NLT; II Cor. 12:9 ESV; Joshua 23:8 ESV; I Cor.1:26-29 ESV; Heb 11:32-34 ESV;  Ps.116:1-2,6-7, 12-13 ESV

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So poignantly God calls us to himself, in our weakness, in our incompleteness, in our sin and shame. He calls us to cling to Him and find Him to be the Hero of our story, the strong one, the dependable one, the One who completes us. Our strengths are our biggest hazards, lest we lean on our own understanding and dismiss His as irrelevant.

Our weaknesses, though humbling, embarrassing, even disabling, are intended to drive us to Jesus where by faith we stand willing and able to do all that He asks of us.  Not everything we might want, not everything we see others doing, but everything He has designed for us to be for His glory’s sake. How does this change my goals and desires for change in this new year?

What if weakness is an asset, not a shame?

What if being a strong independent woman isn’t God’s goal for me?

What if my greatest struggles are His greatest opportunity to cultivate relationship with me?

Salvation is not a deal where God says– OK, I’ve rescued you from disaster and put you on your feet, now try again and see how you do.  Salvation is from start to finish by faith, by dependence on Jesus for the life God calls us to live.  It is an entrance into a new life altogether–a life in Christ, our strength and song, our everything for every need.

All Kudos to Him for all we are and have and will be in this new year.  Let’s never stop calling on Him.  Let’s never think we’ve grown beyond the need!

–LS

Come to Jesus–a beautiful call to come, all our lives long, to the One who is our starting and ending place in this life’s journey (Chris Rice)

Your Name–nothing has the power to save us but this One! (Paul Baloche)