You increase my strength within me.
AM Psalm 66 • Ezekiel 2:1-7 • Acts 11:1-18
PM Psalm 97, 138 • Isaiah 49:1-6 • Galatians 2:1-9
Today is the feast of the martyrdoms of Peter and Paul. They died for their faith in Jesus Christ. I have often wondered if I would be strong enough to die for my faith. Then I noted the word “martyr” comes from the Greek word “witness.” So, the question might be, do I witness to my faith in Jesus Christ enough to die for it?
Witnessing so strongly that we would not give up what we believe in even if it meant death? There are many in the church’s past and in our modern era that have died witnessing to their Christian beliefs. They went to jail for those beliefs. They have been beaten for those beliefs. How did they do it? Where did they find the strength?
Our psalm 138 says, “When I called, you answered me; you increased my strength within me.” That’s it! God provides us the strength for our faith challenges. Paul declared in Philippians, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” There have been times in my life that I had no idea where I got the strength for my words or my actions. I just knew they didn’t come from me. Jesus told the twelve disciples when He first sent them out, “do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time, you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” When it happens to us, we just know that it is the Holy Spirit. Or we just say, “It was a God thing.”
And that is what the outspoken, foot in mouth fisherman from Galilee trusted in. That is what the crazy zealot Pharisee turn Christian trusted in too. Isaiah said in today reading, “for I am honored in the sight of the Lord, and my God has become my strength.” Peter and Paul knew their mission in Christ. Paul said in Galatians, “they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised.” Peter and Paul each had their own missions and trusted God would give them the strength for their work.
We ask ourselves, what is my God-given mission here on this earth? Then even more important, will I have the trust in God to know that He will provide the strength I need to accomplish the work He has given me to do?
Written by Chris Schaefer
Being strengthened by Him who is showing me my God-given mission.