I just sat down for a minute,
Have you ever sat down in your chair for just a moment, only to wake up a half-hour later with your mouth hanging open and drool on your chin? How does that happen? You only meant to sit down for a few minutes, maybe check up on the news, what’s been happening in the world today. How did we become so exhausted, that when we sit down for more than five minutes our body goes into power saving mode, and shuts down?
When God decided the only way to save mankind was through a perfect sacrifice, once and for all, he decided to send His Son in human form. Why human form you ask? So Jesus could experience what we go through, and are tempted with, each and every day of our lives. Jesus lived in a human body, so he understands what it means to be tired. He understands that we are mere mortals and have physical limitations on our bodies. But unlike us, He never gave in to the temptation of sin, and remained the perfect sacrifice until His death on the cross. When we sit down in a chair in our exhausted state, God cares for us like He would a sleeping child whose parent would carry up to bed and tuck him in. Sometimes, we disappoint ourselves because we feel we are weak for falling asleep, or taking 20 winks. But God is not disappointed in our weakness, in fact He invites us to bring our burdens to Him so he can help us carry our load and to give us rest. He tells us that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light, and He wants to share our burden and make our lives easier.
The very fact that we do grow weary both mind and body, is a reminder that we need the help of Jesus Christ in our daily lives. We cannot do life on our own, we are God’s design and He knows our weaknesses and strengths. And He wants us to trust Him to help us through the day. You know me and music, and I love this song which describes just how God helps us:
IN MY WEAKNESS – Christy Galkin
When living life for Jesus Christ becomes too hard a task,
When obedience means sacrifice that seems too much to ask;
That’s when I learn that my own strength isn’t really strength at all,
And I find rest in humbleness when I surrender all.
In my weakness He is strong;
In my need He leads me on.
When I come to the end of all I am,
And I place my trust in Him;
That’s when His strength begins –
In my weakness.
When failures in my human strength have weakened all my pride,
And ruined hopes in fallen dreams have crumbled me inside;
It’s then by grace I fin’lly see the strength of Jesus Christ,
His victory is real in me when weakness fills my life.
In my weakness He is strong;
In my need He leads me on.
When I come to the end of all I am,
And I place my trust in Him;
That’s when His strength begins –
In my weakness.
That just about sums it up, we don’t have to be strong, or perfect, we just have to put our trust in Him, and in our weakness, He is strong.
As parents it is important that we teach our children to do their very best with the God-given gifts they have. But to understand that perfection is not something that is easily achieved in a frail human body, and we need to ask for God’s help to give us strength to reach our goals in life. Teach your children to read God’s word on a daily basis if not in a family devotional time, then on their own. They will find in its pages a plethora of promises made by God to His children who seek him. He understands our frailties and shortcomings, as He was at one time, a human like us.
We as writers are all too familiar with frailties and shortcomings. Some of these things show up in our storylines, adding to our frustration when we try to do our best. It is all right to show these frailties in our heroes or heroines, but we do not like to admit that we have them ourselves. We need to remember that in our weakness, He is strong.
Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
John 4:6
For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
II Corinthians 5:2
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
II Corinthians 12:9
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
Psalms 103:14
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Isaiah 40:29
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13