“The Enabling"

"The Enabling"

     During my senior year of high school, I lost my voice for more than six months.  A bout of flu damaged my vocal chords, and after awhile I began to wonder if I would ever speak normally again.  To this day, I sometimes feel the effects in my voice of that time more than forty years ago.  The occasions are rare, thankfully, especially in light of my privileged responsibility to preach and teach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

    "My strength is made perfect in weakness" (II Corinthians 12:9).

   Frances and I are greatly blessed to conduct 350 services a year in various places in our area.  I serve as the moderator of most of the meetings, and also lead music and preach.  That's a lot of utterance over the course of 45-60 minute gatherings, and I frequently have little voice left after we finish, especially on days when we do 3-4 services.  Never, however, does my vocal difficulty manifest itself while conducting meetings.  I had never considered this before today, when singing a hymn after moderating a meeting and preaching.  I'm fine in services, but my voice sometimes crashes as I walk out the door of meeting places.  

   I share this with you because it illustrates how much our Heavenly Father loves to display His enabling in our personal aspects of challenge and need.  Strength bounces off strength, as it were, but the power of God nestles comfortably and effectually in our weakness.  Thus, the Lord Jesus receives all the glory, just as He deserves.  And thus we often feel as if we are sitting on the sideline cheering, even as we find ourselves actively involved in the most energetic endeavors.  In more ways than just my voice, I feel this in every service we conduct, and I often sense my heart bowing and worshipping in the very midst of engaging my suspect voice by the Enabling that never fails.  I know that you have your own tales of such grace to declare, and that you share in the desire to bow heart, head, and even knees to give thanks in remembrance of such mercy.  Let us do so now…

"Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice."

(Psalm 63:7)

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."

(Psalm 19:14)

Weekly Memory Verse

   He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."

(John 7:38)