Talks on Strength, from a Relative Weakling

I really enjoy lifting weights. Scratch that, I am near fanatical about lifting weights. Since Jr. High, I have needed to get in the weight room and throw some iron around. Many summer days were spent working on my bench press, squat, and power cleans in hopes of getting bigger, faster and stronger for the next football season. In rugby, at Texas Tech, several of us in the front eight would get together three to four times a week in order to lift and have some time together off the pitch and away from the bar. The payoff was the strongest "pack" that Texas Tech has ever had (we in the front three, the two props and hooker, all squatted over 600 lbs. at one point!). Since leaving rugby and university, I still have almost an animal instinct to be in the weight room to release a lot of the stresses of everyday life. I found a gym a mile from the Dominion that was 24/7 access, but they went belly-up, leaving me without a place to work out for the last 3 and a half months. Not the most joyous of times in my life! I have since found a new place to sling weights and have been there on a routine at 5am four days a week.

I have been lifting for some 13 years and have enjoyed every second of it (minus tearing my left biceps muscle, and other muscle strains, spasms, etc.). I don't enjoy getting bigger (ask my wife, I'm pretty self-conscious), getting "swoll" or staring at myself endlessly in the mirror like the many narcissists who frequent the gym. What I do enjoy is being able to be strong for other people. When people need a hand with something, they know that they can call me. The same goes for my intellect (this is not some narcissistic babble about myself, trust me!). I like to study and be wise about things in order to help other people. Richard Baxter nailed it in his book, "The Reformed Pastor," when he said, '...strength is not given to the strong for their own sake, but in order to be shared with the weak.' For these reason, I continually find myself pushing around a quarter of a ton (on certain lifts) and continuing to push myself to the limits of my physical and mental strengths.

A thought struck me, though, last Friday on my way up to my haven of testosterone. With all of my physical and intellectual strengths, why do I so often leave out the spiritual? Have I fallen into thinking that I can compensate for my lack of spiritual strength with bulging pectorals that can push over 400 pounds off of my chest, or thinking that a thorough critique of Lewis' "Mere Christianity" compensates for a lack of fervor in prayer? How silly and worldly could these thought get? 

What God spoke to my heart made me catch my breath a little bit as I was driving; a sort of sharp, cutting and almost searing question that cut me to the heart. "Are your physical and intellectual strengths a reflection of your spiritual strength, or a compensation for your lack of? You say you're bringing me glory by these things, what about your heart?" 

That's when I began meditating on Joshua 1v.9 in God's command for Joshua (as well as all of us whom He has called to Himself) to be strong. God continually calls us to huge and incredible things, things which are often terrifying when we look at them with our small, worldly eyes. Yet, when we understand that it is His strength that courses through our hearts and souls, we are emboldened to do incredible things.

Carrie and I are walking through a truly strength-testing time, in our lives, right now. Preparing for a daughter would be stressful enough on its own, but the thought that we only have a short time to raise our full amount of support for going on staff with our missions organization, will be moving in a few short months, and will be leaving behind our families, friends, and church home is really daunting. And yet, we have absolute assurance in that God has led us to this place in life. He is the One who we have followed, the pillar of fire and smoke in our lives who we trust with all that we have. Knowing that, I know what else He has called me to, as a husband, father, pastor, missionary and Christian: have strength. Be encouraged! Take heart and follow! 

My prayer, as I walk through this stressful and rough time with my wife and daughter, is that I learn what it is to have fortitude in the Saviour. How I pray that the strengths that I carry externally in physical and mental attributes will simply be outpourings of the amount of strength that comes from my faith and walk with Jesus.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Praise our Lord for how He walks with us, step-by-step, and even carries us sometimes; and how He is always there to give us courage through speaking to our hearts!

Be encouraged! Take heart and follow the Lord! "Further up, further in!" Sometimes the strongest words come from the meekest of characters.