Thursday morning, I awoke to a crisp, 48-degree day of sunshine and a cloudless azure sky. I quickly dressed and took my fur-baby out for her walk. As I was waiting for her to complete her morning “duty,” my attention was captured by a bird’s lilting song, a glorious symphony of one, calling to another. It stopped for a few moments, as if politely waiting for a response. Then, in the distance, a short rhythmic reply arose throughout the morning air. This exchange went on for several minutes, and I wondered if the one being called would go the distance to find the one who was calling.
As I listened to this beautiful, melodic exchange, I thought about how God’s love song calls to His betrothed (we who are in Christ), and then He patiently awaits our response. Are we going the distance to meet with the One who is calling us to come?
We can all acknowledge that we are living in trying and dangerous times. Uncertainty and worry have taken hold of many hearts with the fear that America will never again be the country of freedom, hope, and safety once enjoyed and often taken for granted. However, God is lovingly calling to His Church, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
If there was any person who was weary and burdened, it was the Apostle Paul, who suffered more than any one of us will ever endure. Five times he received forty lashes, minus one, from the Jews. Three times he was beaten with rods. Once he was pelted with stones. He was shipwrecked three times and spent a night and a day in the open sea. He was constantly on the move and in danger from rivers, bandits, fellow Jews, Gentiles and false believers. He knew cold, nakedness, and lack of sleep. He was hungry, thirsty, and often without food. And he daily felt great pressure and concern for all the churches. Despite the many dangers and what he suffered, he said, “Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?” (2 Cor. 11:23-29). “For Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10).
Why did Paul say he was strong in his weakness? Because in recognizing and admitting his human limitations, God was able to bring His strength to Paul’s life. Like Paul, it is in our weaknesses, that when we let go and allow God, He makes a way and shows His strength and power through us and His ability to change our circumstances.
Paul drew his strength from God, through His faith in Jesus Christ. Daily, he faithfully responded to God with unshakable, immovable trust and faith. So, we must each ask in this season of life, despite all that is going on in the world, whose voice and song are we hearing and believing? For the Lord God is in our midst, a mighty one who saves; He rejoices and quiets us by His love and exults over us with loud singing (Zephaniah 3:17). So, when we hear our God call with His song of love, will we respond to Him?”
PRAYER: FATHER, Your Word tells me not to be anxious for anything, but in everything by prayer and petitions, with thanksgiving, I am to make my requests to You (Philippians 4:6). I am so grateful that I can turn to You at all times of the day and night. Help me respond to Your song of love and yield my will, my self-reliance, my plans, my hopes and fears to You. Daily be my strength, and help me grow in Your Word that I may have unshakable, immovable, and unrelenting faith and trust in You. Give me courage not to fear but to entrust each day into Your capable hands. I ask these things in Jesus’ name, amen.
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