Les Henson
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness," says 2 Corinthians 12:9. These words remind us of the paradox of Christian existence and its promise. As Jesus said, we are unavoidably in the world (John 17:14-16) and subject to chaotic economic, military, social, and environmental influences. Yet, we do not belong to this world. We are not children created or sustained by worldly power. We are created and sustained by the Word of God (John 1:1-4; 1 John 1:1-3) and the strength of Jesus, which works in us through the Holy Spirit to fulfil God's will.
Our weakness is not just a flaw but also a promise. It is through our weaknesses that God chooses to work, overcoming despair and hopelessness and bringing forth new life. As Paul clearly stated (1 Corinthians 1:26-29), "Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God." Our weaknesses point to our deep need for communion with God's divine life in Christ, a life that provides true strength. As Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me (John 15:1-4).
Throughout history, the temptation for Christians has been to seek worldly power and conform themselves to fit within its structures, leading to harmful consequences -- when the cross and the flag come together the result is most often violence. We must return to Paul's example of finding strength in weakness to move away from the legacy of seeking worldly power. This calls for reorienting our lives toward God's strength and away from the pursuits that lead to destruction. It requires living a faith-filled life grounded in hope and love and following the example of Jesus.
We are challenged to practice our faith through acts of mercy, justice, piety, and witness. As James rightly declares, faith without corresponding actions is dead (2:26). We are thus called to embody our faith through intentional practices and share our faith in meaningful, thoughtful and creative ways. We must live ethically and demonstrate a meaningful life within Christian communities if our message is to be heard in Australia today.
Questions:
1. When has God’s power been demonstrated in your life in times of weakness? Give examples.
2. Why do we imagine we can do God’s work through worldly means?
3. Explain why God chooses to work through us in our weakness?
4. What historical examples are there of the corrupting influence of the cross and the flag?
5. How do we abide in Christ and how difficult is it to do so? What hinders our abiding?
6. Why is faith without actions dead faith?
Comments