I'll bet you remember these
familiar words: "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can... I think I
can." Oh, sure you do. Well, I hope you do, or else you had a deprived
childhood. Most of us grew up on those words. It's that little book, The
Little Engine That Could. I think Fred Flintstone must have read it to his
kids it's that old. Remember that the little engine tries to make it up to
the top of the mountain, with this trainload of toys. It's a mountain that
no other train was able to navigate. And as he gets near the top, he says,
"I think I can. I think I can (puff, puff, chug, chug)." Oh, I've read it
so many times to my kids and now my grandkids. Well, as you remember, of
course, he makes it to the top of the mountain. It's a great book. It's
got a great philosophy of life. It's a great confidence builder. But maybe
right now you've hit a mountain that you really can't climb. Maybe you
need to read that book again - or, how about a much better book.
Now about that mountain that you're having a hard time getting to the top
of. I have been trying to chug up mine lately, and not making it. Maybe
you're there. There's just too much right now. Maybe it's one of those
Morton Salt times, you know, when it rains it pours. It's gotten worse
before it got better. It could be that you're just too tired, too depleted
to handle it. Maybe you have in front of you a responsibility or even a
ministry that looks...well, just too big for you. And you are living on
the brink of "I think I can't."
Well, if it's any comfort to you, someone as strong as the great Apostle
Paul was there. He recorded it in 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 8. He
talks about pressure in his life. He says, "We were under great pressure,
far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life." Now,
Paul was literally on the brink of "I think I can't." He talks about the
responsibilities of his ministry. And in chapter 2, verse 16, it says,
"Who is equal to such a task?" Well, he's just barely hanging on...maybe
just like you. And then all of a sudden in chapter 3, verse 4, he
talks about "such confidence is ours through Christ before God." Wait a
minute! Where did this confidence come from? I thought you couldn't make
it up the mountain, Paul.
Well, our secret is our word for today from the Word of God from 2
Corinthians chapter 3, verse 5. He says this; "Our competence comes from
God. Not that we are confident in ourselves to claim anything for
ourselves, He has made us competent." Now, there's a re-appearing Greek
word here that means "adequate," "qualified for," "worthy," "large
enough." It's the word that John the Baptist used when he said, "I'm not
worthy..." - I don't deserve to untie Jesus' sandals. Paul said, "I don't
deserve to be an apostle," but now he's confident.
Well, if you feel you're not adequate, you're right. If you feel like you
don't deserve the position you have, right again. If you feel like you
can't handle what you've got, you're right. God lets us get to these
overload points so He can show us what we can't do and what He can do. The
simple fact is whatever the gap between your strength and your challenge;
God makes up the difference. He has made us competent.
So, draw deeply on His strength. Be honest about how desperate you are.
And then proceed ahead as if God will get you to the top of the mountain.
Because He will, if you are at the brink of "I think I can't." Because
then, you're at the brink of God's miraculous enabling. In the Beginning
and better still, The End...be reminded that we are Easter People...a
Resurrected Family that not only CAN but By God...DOES!
See You in Church,
Rev. Chuck
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