"I feel Powerless"
Among the various words we hear cast about in Lockdown Three is the word 'powerless.' What people seem to mean is two things: First, that with all the present uncertainty they are unable to make decisions about the future. And second, that we each on our little owns can do very little to halt a powerful pandemic - except perhaps to stay at home, which is a weak-powerful act.
In truth, both of these present impossibilities have always been no-gos.
We may have been able to plan events in years gone by and fooled ourselves into thinking we had power to act, but that has never been true. Many a human plan has been scuppered by events utterly beyond our control. A man builds a beautiful and expensive man-shed for his retirement, but dies before he can enjoy it. A newly married couple plan for a family but discover they cannot conceive. And so it goes on.
And have we ever had the power to stop pandemics or any other natural disaster? While we thank God for medical science, a new significant mutation of the virus could put us right back to square one. Or a totally different virus could emerge.
In a fallen and broken world we are no longer kings.
Perhaps one of the solemn effects of this pandemic will be to humble us and remind us that God alone rules.
And how glad we should be that the Lord Omnipotent reigns!
But there is a reason we find our present powerlessness so frustrating: Adam and Eve were natural born rulers. King and Queen of Eden, they were given dominion over creation (Genesis 1:28). And so, following in their lineage, there is something within us, within humankind, which wants or needs to make decisions whether in the home, in the family, or in the work place.
Present feelings of frustration because we are powerless are therefore to be expected and reflect the way we bear the image of God, the Great and Sovereign King.
Jesus is King
One day, with Jesus Christ, we will be able to make decisions which cannot be thwarted. One day we will, with Jesus, exercise effective power.
At the moment, could we only see into the heavenlies, we already reign with Christ. We can experience victory over sin with the power of God's Spirit. The law no longer possesses the power to condemn. "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us." (Romans 8:37)
But our reign in this world is limited.
We will be kings
In that new world to come, says Paul, we shall reign with Christ. Of course no-one knows exactly what reigning with Jesus Christ will entail, except that Paul says it will include judging angels (1 Corinthians 6:3). For sure we will reign on Christ's behalf, not in our own right. We will be ensuring that his will is executed.
The details we cannot tell, but what we can be sure of is that those feelings of powerlessness we now experience will be gone.
Summing it Up
Perhaps you have never thought about why people are feeling powerless today.
Perhaps you did not know that it was because we were all born for rule and dominion.
And perhaps you had forgotten this trustworthy verse of Paul's:
Now we know that kingship lies ahead of, let us look forward to those days. Let's not be anxious about present powerlessness. Let's endure today so that one day we will reign with Christ.
A SONG FOR TODAY
A simple song, wherein we worship the Lord Jesus, who is not only our king, but aslo our High Priest.
Jesus Is King And I Will Extol Him
Give Him The Glory, And Honour His Name
He Reigns On High, Enthroned In The Heavens
Word Of The Father, Exalted For Us
We Have A Hope That Is Steadfast And Certain
Gone Through The Curtain And Touching The Throne
We Have A Priest Who Is There Interceding
Pouring His Grace On Our Lives Day By Day
We Come To Him, Our Priest And Apostle
Clothed In His Glory And Bearing His Name
Laying Our Lives With Gladness Before Him
Filled With His Spirit We Worship The King
Oh Holy One, Our Hearts Do Adore You
Thrilled With Your Goodness We Give You Our Praise
Angels In Light With Worship Surround Him
Jesus, Our Saviour, Forever The Same
Sing along HERE.
A PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Our loving Father in heaven,
We worship you and acknowledge your loving reign over your children. Your will be done on earth, we pray, as it is in heaven.
We thank you for truth. We thank you that we understand from your word why we find powerlessness so hard to bear. We thankyou that the dominion you gave to Adam and Eve, and which they lost through sin, will be restored to your people, through Jesus Christ, our loving King.
Help us to endure our present frustrations so that one day we will reign with Christ.
We ask this in Jesus' name,
Amen
Photo by Paweł Furman on Unsplash
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