God is an indestructible force. He needs no one. God is the ultimate, superior potency. His power has no end. God is the overwhelming enforcement, controlling everything, to the minutest detail. How’s that for starting our devotion?
You too are a force to be reckoned with. Not to the same extent as God, but nonetheless, your potential is more than you probably give credit to. Your gifts and set of skills and abilities make you a positively, not a probability. You have great value and worth in the kingdom of God, more than you probably even use.
So it makes me begin to think of what things could be like and could be done, if you and I were to mix our realized potential with God’s, to do the things He’s asked us to do. What might we be able to accomplish? What might we be able to see and experience?
Why am I thinking like this? Well as I was reading the Book of Judges today, I came to chapter 4. For 20 years the Israelites were being harassed by the king of Hazor. There’s a lady from Israel by the name of Deborah, who is a prophetess, who gets of word from the Lord to give to a leader in Israel, his name is Barak. She tells him that He’s supposed to gather the army and go to war against Hazor, and that God will give him the victory.
Barak doesn’t know his potential. So he cowers under the pressure and tells her he’ll go only if she goes. Let’s see… she’s a prophetess… he’s got a whole army… and he wants her to go to battle. What is she, like the token good luck charm?
Anyway, she tells him she’ll go, but because he didn’t realize his potential, a woman was going to defeat the enemy.
Now, here’s where it gets good. The Commander of the enemy army is Sisera. As the Israelites are winning the battle, General Sisera makes his escape. He tries to hide out at a ladies house… her name is Jael. He wants a drink of water, so she gives him a cup of nice warm milk. He lays down to take a nap because he’s so exhausted. Jael even covers him up with a blanket, so as to hide him from anybody hot on his trail. While he’s sound asleep, she takes this big old tent peg and a hammer and drives it through his head and kills him.
Now I’m not advocating murder, but there was a big difference between Barak and Jael. Barak had no clue the power he and God could make, while Jael knew she couldn’t lose because God and her made a tremendous team.
Here’s my word of encouragement for you today: God is on your side and if you know that and believe that – what might you accomplish for Him today?
Father,
Today is a great day – simple because You made it. Help me realize what I’m able to accomplish because You’re on my side. In Jesus name I ask this, Amen.
Rev. Dr. MM Marxhausen
Mark was Spiritual Director for VdC from 2016 to 2019. He's written many of the devotions, especially the Devote and Affirm series, found on this website.
