Standing in His Strength
The words of a man named Amos have been read, memorized, and taken to heart for thousands of years. Despite this, we know virtually nothing about the man whose name titles the book. Why? Because he was no one of worldly importance. In his own words, he was “among the shepherds of Tekoa”. In Chapter 7, verses 14-15, he stated, “I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’”
One of you dear readers asked me about a passage of scripture from the book of Amos. This directed me to study this relatively small book of the Old Testament. However, like so much of our lives, this request came at just the moment God knew I needed to hear the message of Amos. Like this simple man of old, I am no prophet nor daughter of a prophet. While I am not a shepherd, I do tend and feed little lambs. I teach preschool at a Christian school. Yet, here I sit, on a borrowed computer, living with my children in my father’s house because my home is broken and unhealthy. I am anything but extraordinary, but my God has given me a Bible and told me to teach.
One of the great messages of the Bible is the ordinary person’s ability to be used by the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 assures us, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” Therefore, I am blessed to be but a simple woman who doesn’t have all the answers. I am not ashamed that I do not have a degree in theology. I am proud to say that I spend my day teaching ABCs and sharing stories of Jesus with tiny people. I wipe noses and other not so glamorous things. I cook for my family and clean up their messes. I am a “not” in the eyes of this world. I am a statistic. I am one of those ‘close-minded’, born-again Christians. I smile when I am hurting, and I love when it is thrown away. I am chosen by God, and so are you. What “not” are you struggling with lately? Do you ever feel insignificant or unworthy of the calling God has placed upon your heart? Welcome to the club. Some of the most influential people for the kingdom of God never appeared powerful or significant in the eyes of the world. That is the beauty of God’s plan. It isn’t our power that changes anything. It isn’t our strength that enables us to do what God asks us to do. We conquer this world because we stand in God’s victory. We persevere because we borrow God’s strength and stamina. We are more because God is everything.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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