There is so much emphasis on power and strength in the contemporary culture. But the emphasis of scripture is mostly on weakness and meekness. We oftentimes misconstrue meekness for weakness, but it is actually strength.
What is meekness?
Meekness is ability not to offend or be easily offended. It is the ability to stay calm even under intense pressure. Whereas gentleness has a lot to do with disposition, meekness relates often to offence.
The things of God are always antithetical to the ways of the world. They work in reverse logic. In God’s economy, it is those who have no might that increases strength, it is the lame that takes the prey, and the worm that threshes down the mountain (Isaiah 40:29; Isaiah 33:23c; Isaiah 41:14-16).
Isaiah 40:29 KJV
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Isaiah 33:23c NKJV
………Then the prey of great plunder is divided; The lame take the prey.
Isaiah 41:14-16 KJV
Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD , and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD , and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.
In divine economy, before God clothes a man, He strips him, before He fills him, He empties him, and before He builds up a man, He breaks him. In His omniscience, He always works in ways that are contrary to the ways of the world and the flesh, so that men can learn to trust in Him and not trust in themselves.
William Tyndale an English reformer and bile translator had experiential understanding of this when he said “If God promise riches, the way thereto is poverty. Whom he loveth he chasteneth, whom he exalteth, he casteth down, whom he saveth he damneth first; he bringeth no man to heaven except he sends him to hell first. If he promises life, he slayeth it first; when he buildeth, he casteth all down first. He is no patcher; he cannot build on another man’s foundation. He will not work until all be past remedy and brought unto such a case, that men may see how that his hand, his power, his mercy, his goodness, and truth hath wrought all together. He will let no man be partaker with him of his praise and glory”.
Little wonder the Apostle Paul said “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh”-Phil 3:3, and “…most gladly will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest on me”- 2 Corinthians 12:9.
The apostle Paul understood that when we come to the end of ourselves, that is when God takes over and brings out His glory in our lives. But if we have confidence in the flesh- our wisdom, job, wealth, social status, ministry, anointing, scholastic attainment etc., we will never attain to the heights of glory God has destined for us. God desires that we come to the end of ourselves by acknowledging our weaknesses, limitations willing, but when we fail to do so, He sometimes occasions events and circumstances that will lead us on this path, so that we can depend on Him and Him alone.
I sign off in the words of one of the puritans- “the only time you can say Christ is all I want, is when Christ is all you have”.
God bless you!!!
