On Whom Are You Depending?

 "I can do all this through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

    Rosie the Riveter portrayed the strength of women in the '40s who stepped into jobs left vacant by American men who had gone to war. With her hair wrapped in a polka dot kerchief and her bicep flexed, she became an iconic picture of the patriotic brawn of our nation's can-do spirit. I have a tee shirt depicting the robust Rosie but it bears the verse above: "I can do all things through Christ!" This puts the proper spin on it, giving credit where credit is due.

    The other day at work, as I listened to the principal's exhortation to the students to "believe in yourself," I looked around at the kids in pity. Pity because what we, as a society are offering them, without faith in the bedrock of our powerful Creator, is all just sinking sand. We tell them they can be anything they want if they just apply themselves, but on what is that based?

    Yes, people can better themselves through an education; I am not denying that. But, when human strength wanes and all the earthly props give way, without confidence in God, a person hasn't a prayer.

    As told in the second book of Kings, chapter 18, the nefarious king of Assyria was badgering Hezekiah, king of Judah, snidely inquiring, "On what are you basing this confidence of yours? You say you have the counsel and the might for war - but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me?"(vs. 19, 20)

    Consider all that is piling up against us today: Virus, vaccine, vitriol, death, deceit and disrespect. How does one cope against this? By believing in the government or the health care system? Talk about "empty words!" No, as for me, I choose to depend upon the Living God, here and in the hereafter. He's the Solid Rock on which I stand. Won't you join me?

PS: In response to the Assyrian threats, King Hezekiah prayed to the Lord for deliverance. That night, "the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp." (2 Kings 19:35) 

"Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16