weaklings

"Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weakling say, "I am a warrior."--Joel 3.10
Last week, I was reminded that I am NOT superman. An illness reminded me that I am just as fragile as every other human being. But it was also a reminder to me that "when I am weak, then I am strong." (2Corinthians 12.10)
In the world, people are considered strong who never falter. In the world, we admire warriors who show nothing but strength and courage. But because we have a Savior who showed his strength in the weakness of the cross that means that all of us who falter sometimes, all of us who stumble, all of us who fall have hope. Jesus came precisely because we are frail and fragile and weak. It is in acknowledging our weakness (not denying it) that we find the strength of Christ's justifying and sanctifying grace. It is in acknowledging our weakness that Christ finds us with His Extravagant, Justifying, Sanctifying Grace. That's the message of the Scripture above from Joel. All of us weaklings, all of us fragile people can say with the power of the grace of God, "I AM A WARRIOR."
Do you feel weak or fragile today because of life's trials? Have you been reminded too often in your life that you are weak? Then take heart! That is a perfect angle to see the incredible grace of God who loves us so extravagantly that He went to a cross to win our redemption, to win a future with hope for us all.
One of my favorite lines from a praise chorus is: "And now, let the weak say I am strong!"
Not in our own strength, but in the strength of the Lord!