Power

 Exodus 1:8-2:10; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20

I've been stuck this week. It is hard sometimes to come up with something week to week. What do you do? Hang on there. Keep praying the Scripture all week long. You stay with it, even if you think nothing will come. It eventually does. Finally it all became clear. Especially when I read the prayer, "... May show forth your power...", which led me to this question, what is God's power? What is it definition of power?

Take your time and think about it. Maybe define what power means to us. Then what is God's power? We can't strip it from the lessons today. Look at power on terms of who has it on the scripture and who doesn't. Then what type of power do we see being used.

First define power. Maybe being in control. Having absolute authority. Being the strongest. Crushing those who stand in the way.

Next in Exodus who has the most power? The King, of course. Is he able to use it effectively killing the enemy? No. What power do the midwives have? Technically none, they are slaves and should be doing what the King says. Instead they use their power to undermine the Kings unkind ruling. They make a plausible excuse we to why they can't fulfill it because they believe in God.

Then we look at Paul's letter, it says that we should use grace. No one is over another. It is always recognizing the gifts each person has and using them to build up the church. No one is more important than another. We are all equal in the eyes of Christ.

Lastly, Peter's confession of faith. What is the power? That the disciples know this but aren't able to tell anyone. Why? Because this is God's power at work. We don't need to tell it out, we just need to do. It is not all that different from Paul. Jesus power comes in being silent about it because he knows we like to boast. This is not the way Jesus shows.

Think about all the gospel stories. Jesus stands out as strange, not as powerful to those in authority. Be talks to people in trees, healed those who were of little value, talked to women, and led a rag tag group all these do not signify power.

So go and do likewise. Don't look for power in the way the world defines it. Look for it in the lost, the lonely, the frail and feeble hearted. There you will find the true power of the love of God.