Powerlessness (5)

Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me.   I saw only trouble and sorrow.  Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Please, Lord, save me!” How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me.  Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. (Psalm 116:3-7 NLT)

As we admit to our powerlessness and surrender our self-directed way of life for God’s way of living, we begin an exciting journey with Him.  By reading and meditating on His word in the Bible, God promises to help us recognize truth.  When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour we are filled with His Holy Spirit.  He will sustain us and guide as we seek to follow the ways of God.  As we look for God’s way in all our circumstances, we will no longer live powerless. God will help bring order into our lives and fill us with peace.

I will proclaim the name of the Lord; how glorious is our God!  He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.  Everything he does is just and fair.  He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!  (Deuteronomy 32:3-4 NLT)

Living a self-directed life led us to empty, lonely, and shame-filled places.  We’ve responded to our needs with short-term solutions and done those things which we ought not to have done.  Having admitted to our powerless state, we can at last begin to have hope that, together with God, we can begin a new and meaningful life. 

We were created to live in relationship with God – the God of infinite knowledge, power, and love.  We were meant to live in the power of that love. Without love, life becomes fearful and we fall apart.  A car engine without oil will burn up and become useless -- powerless.  Without God, we burn up and find ourselves on the side of the road with no way to move forward.   With God, we cannot even imagine the everlasting joy and peace that will fill our lives as we live in the light of His presence.

Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.  What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts.  What festivities await us inside your holy Temple.  (Psalm 65:3-4 NLT)

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