Title Let's Use Weaknesses as Strengths
Contents
Hymn: 349 (New Hymn 214) 'I want to receive help from the Lord'
Meditation: We often think that only talented people, who have many unique strengths, can do great things. I think that God only likes and uses such people. But that is a big mistake. Who is God using?
Confession of Faith: Apostles' Creed
Text: "And Ehud stretched out his left hand, drew a sword from the top of his right thigh, and pierced the king's body..." (Judges 3:21-23)
There are people who have been greatly used by God because of their strengths, but there are many people who live a life of regret because they believe in their own abilities and cling to worldly affairs instead of relying on God because of their strengths. On the other hand, there are people who are not expected from the world because they have weaknesses, but are used as a vessel of great faith. How is that possible? Because of their weakness, they depended on and clinged to God more thoroughly. Ehud, the judge of Israel in the text, was such a person.
First, Ehud was a man of weakness. He is of the tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin, meaning 'son of the right hand', is a powerful tribe. But Ehud was left-handed. He could not use his right hand, but he tried to live God's will more than anyone else.
Second, Ehud was a judge. At that time, people distanced themselves from God and lived their lives according to their own fancy and what they thought was right. God used Eglon, king of Moab, as a tool of punishment to attack Israel. The children of Israel, who were in trouble, cried out to God, repented and prayed. Ehud was appointed as a judge by God who heard his prayer. God lifts up the weak and puts the strong to shame. God sees and uses a person's faith, not external conditions.
Third, Ehud used his weaknesses as his strengths. He must have prayed more clinging to God because of his weakness. We should not be discouraged by our weaknesses. Rather, if you have deep spiritual fellowship with God, you will experience God's amazing power.
What are our weaknesses today? Whether you have physical weakness, mental weakness, spiritual weakness, or environmental weakness, there is no need to despair, despair, or discouragement over it. God turns our weaknesses into strengths and uses our weaknesses as strengths to use us as tools.
Prayer: God is the source of power! Let my weaknesses become not a stumbling block in life, but a stepping stone to show you God. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.
Lord's Prayer