Today's Scripture Reading (April 2, 2024): 1 Corinthians 10
Sometimes, I think I should write a
book about what the Bible doesn't say. One of the persistent biblical myths is
that the Bible says, "God will never give us more than we handle." I
have heard friends tell me that they wish God didn't think they were so strong.
But the problem is that God never promised that. He promised to provide a way
out when you are tempted to do something he has instructed you not to do.
Sometimes, God does give us more than we can handle. And maybe the temptation
in those moments is to try to fight the battle ourselves instead of recognizing
that God is willing to fight the battle for us.
King Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah
in the ninth century B.C.E. One day, his advisors told him
a vast army was coming from the other side of the sea. And they are coming to
attack you.
Jehosophat
turned to his advisor and asked, "So, how far away are they." And the
answer came back, "Well, it is funny you should ask; they are already here;
in fact, they are in our backyard." The Bible says that Jehosophat was
alarmed. I could add something more graphic, but I will leave that to your
imagination.
Jehosaphat
was alarmed and declared a fast. The army was already in the backyard, so it
must have been a quick fast. Maybe it was, "Put down your fork; we are
skipping dessert." Jehosaphat, the king, the most powerful person in Israel,
comes to God and says, "I don't have the power. I can't do this."
God turns to
Jehosophat, asking, "Are you willing to depend on me? This battle isn't
yours; it is mine. Don't fall into the temptation of thinking all this is on
your shoulders because it isn't."
And I think
that Jehosophat probably responded by saying, "God, you do not understand
this. They
are too big, and this is happening too fast; we don't have the power; I don't
have the power. This is crushing me." But God's question didn't
change: are you willing to surrender it to me?
I don't have
the power, but God does. Some of you are standing right there with me. God, I
can't handle this. I can't handle my marriage. I can't handle my kids. I can't
handle what the Doctor told me. It is too big, it's happening too fast, I don't
have the power.
But God's
question remains, "Are you willing to surrender it to me."
"God
will not put more on you than you can handle" is a myth. The reality is
that God promises that he will never put more on you than He can handle. But if
your own problems handcuff you, you aren't dangerous to our culture; you are a
slave to it. And God never intended you to be that.
What do you
need to surrender?
Tomorrow's Scripture
Reading: 1 Corinthians 11
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