Where does our real strength come from? Psalm 3:3 with a story from the life of E. Stanley Jones

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 3:3 (BBE)
But your strength, O Lord, is round me, you are my glory and the lifter up of my head.

A STORY:
E. Stanley Jones was traveling by train in Europe. He always had to be doing something so he was reading his Bible. A Russian Actress asked, “What are you doing?” “I am a Christian and I am reading the Bible.” She asked, “Why?” He responded by asking, “You tell me.” She said, “You are a coward. You need God to hold your hand.” Dr. Jones shared, “Yes, you are probably right when I first became a Christian. But now I only ask him to strengthen my arms so that I can serve.”

AN OBSERVATION:
We are kind of a “go it alone” type of people … or as my son declared one day when I got down on the floor to “help” him build a castle with his blocks, “I do it myself!” We learn that life lesson early on in our years and it is strengthened as well as encouraged each step we take.

There are those moments in life when things simply get beyond our control and in turn we become unglued. It is called “The Foxhole Syndrome” – when the bombs are bursting around us, when bullets are whizzing over our heads, when the arrows of misfortune are being shot at us … we cry out to God for help, but until then we simply try to go it alone.

It is a wise person who discovers early in life’s journey that our strength does not come from within, but from above. We can go to the gym and build an impressive looking body able to lift incredible amounts of weights. We can become a Rhodes Scholar and become a genius of sorts. We can work extremely hard to gather great wealth which would permit us to do unbelievable things in this world … but through it all and at all times, our physical, mental and financial strength will ultimately fail us at those most crucial moments of the journey.

And why does God give us this special strength? Is it only for our benefit or is it, as Dr. Jones discovered, to serve the needs of others and the cause of the Kingdom?

PRAYER:
Lord, we are weak and all too often heavy laden, but you are our strength. Help us today to rely on you in each step we take and May we serve those around us in your precious name! Amen.