"Strength We Can Trust"

By: Zach Wood

Psalm 16:8-9 (NASB)

I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 
    Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.

 

 

I have seen some strong people in my many years of life.  When I was little, I saw strong guys on TV who looked like they could throw a car several miles if given the chance.  As a child, those guys looked pretty mean and not like anyone I would want to mess with.  As I've grown up, I've continued to encounter people, whether in person, on TV or in movies.  Some of those people seem to be wimps, while others still seem to prove they can do some serious damage if anyone messes with them. 

 

Let me ask you this.  If you had a job to do and you needed someone who was stronger than yourself, would you still try to do it yourself or get some help?  If we're smart, we would get someone who is stronger and maybe has a little more experience.  At the company I work for, we have signs up saying that if something weighs more than 30 pounds, get some help.  Well, it's often pretty difficult to judge the weight of some things I lift.  However, just by common sense, I can try to lift something, and if it seems like it's just too much weight, I call for help.  In those times, I'm smarter by allowing someone else who is stronger to either help me or lift the weight for me. 

 

The same is true in our daily lives with spiritual strength.  We need someone to rely on and go before us that knows the way we don't.  That person is God Himself.  Why choose anyone else?  I love the first part of this passage, "I have set the Lord continually before me".  That means that we should set the Lord before us and have Him guide our paths all the time.  Not just when we feel like we may need Him, but all the time.  There are times when we think we can take on the weight of the world on our own.  Big mistake!  We underestimate the power of the evil one and what the world can do to us if we take things on all on our own.  It's pretty much a dumb idea.  Spiritually, we just cannot handle life on our own.  We need strength we can trust and someone to depend on.  Not just some of the time, but all day every day.  If we're walking right with God, He gives us strength, gives us hope and a bright path, and gives us security in knowing He's there. 

 

We need to set the Lord always ahead of us.  Yes, we need to walk alongside of Him.  Don't get me wrong there.  But we also need Him ahead of us so that we're following Him.  He's right there beside us wanting us to trust in His strength, but not to get ahead of Him and try life on our own.  It's just a stupid idea!  We've all been there, done that, so.....why do we keep making the mistake of trying life on our own?  You'd think we'd figure it out that He should be in the lead.  Well, it takes learning and growing to realize it's much better when He's in the lead and we're not.  Taking directions is always much better than being in the lead and not knowing where you're going.  He is our lead and our strength. 

 

Unlike those big tough guys that I used to watch on TV with huge biceps and big muscles, God is the only One whose strength we can truly depend and rely on.  His strength we can always trust.