Man overboard

John 1:9 (ESV) 

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

D. L. Moody told the story of a man who was crossing the Atlantic by ship. He was terribly seasick and confined to his cabin. One night he heard the cry "Man overboard!" But he felt that there was nothing he could do to help. Then he said to himself, "I can at least put my lantern in the porthole." He struggled to his feet and hung the light so it would shine out into the darkness.

The next day he learned that the person who was rescued said, "I was going down in the dark night for the last time when someone put a light in a porthole. As it shone on my hand, a sailor in a lifeboat grabbed it and pulled me in."

All of us have weaknesses -- and times of weakness. The fact of the matter is, though, that weak or not, we need to muster up the strength to put our lights in our portholes for the sake of the dying and the lost among us. It's so tempting to sulk in our weaknesses, and stay in our cabins -- but God expects more of us. He has given us the strength to do all things -- even move mountains! There are so many people around us sinking in despair. God has chosen us to reach out and light up their lives!

Let's do something for the Lord today. Be bold, speak up, let's not let our weaknesses get in the way.

Dear Lord, we thank You for all You do for us. Help us overcome our weakness and reach out to those that need help today. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

Our Weakness Others Strength.

Romans 15:1-2 (New International Version)

1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.

A water bearer had two large pots, each hung on the end of a long pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and one-half pots full of water to her master's house.

Of course the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and was miserable that it was only able to accomplish half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" Asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half of my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in her compassion she said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But, at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half of its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We are all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste.

So, as we seek ways to work together, and as God calls us to the tasks He has appointed for us, let us not be afraid of our flaws.

Dear Lord we thank You that You want to use each one of us no matter our flaws. Thank You that in your eyes our flaws are strengths. Help us to day to use them for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In Our Weakness He is Strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (New International Version)

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Katherine Hsu was born in 1914 in Fuzhou, South China and she counts herself fortunate for having been raised in a Christian home. From an early age, Hsu wanted to become a doctor. Growing up, she saw the devastating effects of diseases such as typhoid and diphtheria. Then tuberculosis took the life of a younger brother and sister.

Believing that being a doctor was "a great purpose for living," she prayed that God would provide a way, promising to make the practice a ministry without charge to her patients. Soon after that prayer, Hsu won a full scholarship to Peking Union Medical College, one of three applicants accepted. The more she studied the human body, the more she marveled at God's creation and worshipped him.

Because her siblings died from tuberculosis, Hsu made the disease her primary focus. Through the years, the Lord led her to Houston, Texas to establish a clinic in the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis.

Today, her pioneered tuberculosis-prevention strategies are now replicated around the world. "This is not my own achievement, but what God has wrought by his mighty power," Hsu wrote in 1994 after receiving the coveted Distinguished Achievement Award from the 11000-member American Thoracic Society.

True to her word to God, Hsu has not charged a patient in more than 50 years. In addition, Hsu has used all of her medical awards to fund scholarships for students and missionaries. "What you cannot do, God will work out for you," Hsu says. "Then you become an instrument in God's will. That is a great privilege."

It is when we are dependent on the Lord that He can work through us to do great things.

Dear Lord today we give thanks today that when we are weak You are strong. In Jesus’ name, Amen.