I Did It!

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.  1 Timothy 1:12

“Mama, I did it!  I did it all by myself!  Look!”  This was Dylan’s proud announcement the first time he was able to tie his shoes all by himself a few days ago.  Bright-eyed, ear-to-ear smile on his little face, Dylan’s sense of accomplishment was great that day.  Coincidentally, later that same day, when Grant heard me coming in the house after an evening meeting at church, he got out of his bed to greet me with a similar announcement, “we did it Mama!  We finished it!”  “You did!?  That is so totally cool!  Thank you guys!  So you helped out?”  “Yes, I helped putting it together!”  I could see the sparks in Grant’s eyes even in the middle of the dark hallway as he related the story of him having a big part in the assembling of a new gigantic shelf we had just gotten that afternoon.  Once again, I felt the pride and sense of accomplishment that filled my dear boy’s precious heart. 

“I did it,” three words that evoke the implication of a job well done.  When said in the right context, you can almost see the person taking a few steps back to contemplate his or her accomplishment, his or her masterpiece.  The words ring like an anthem to productive work.  They bring images of an artist’s finishing strokes on a work of art. 

The phrase also echoes another set of words that summarize the totality of the greatest accomplishment ever, - “it is finished,” - the last words out of the mouth of our Savior before he bowed His Holy head and exhaled his breath of life on earth for the last time.  “It is finished,” the words that say that Jesus paid it all, and that all to Him we owe.  “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” the words of a Risen Lord in all His Divinity, not the Suffering Servant, but the Almighty of Revelation 21:6.  It is all done by Him; and all that it is left for us to do is to accept it.

On the same token, by His mighty power we are able to accomplish what He commissions us to do here on earth.  Sometimes we feel as if our weaknesses could keep us from performing our task; but that is the deceit of the enemy.  At that moment of near defeat, we must remember that the enemy would try anything to keep us from our Kingdom work.  And that our only defense is a pure heart that lives according to His Word, Psalm 119:9. A pure heart that recognizes that it is nothing without Him, but that in Him there is victory.  A pure heart that knows that, "[His] grace is sufficient for [us], for [His] power is made perfect in weakness," (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

It is through Him and in Him that we can do all things, (Philippians 4:13).  He empowers us with His glorious might so that we may have great endurance, (Colossians 1:11).  It is through His Holy Spirit who dwells in our inner beings that we will be strengthened to do the work that He has appointed for us.

I cling to that divine strength with all I’ve got, since great is my weakness.  I cling to His grace and power with legs, arms and teeth, for otherwise I sink.  Day in and day out I trust Him with my life and my beloved.  Day in and day out I step out of my office, and as I walk to my classes, I send to Him my desperate plea, “Lord, I’ve got nothing.  I fully rely on You for this.  Give me what I need to do my job and honor You.”  Day in and day out I see my sons off to school in the morning and I plea with the Lord, “please be with them, for I cannot protect them.  Please be the guardian of their innocence, purity and integrity, for they are all beyond my power to guard.”  Day in and day out, as I see my husband’s faithfulness in display in everything he does, I plea with the Lord to keep him safe and healthy.  Day in and day out I lift my eyes to the Heavens and pray that The Lord, My Savior will turn His ear to my cry, for He promised that all I need is Him; and that He has done it all for me. 

Grant and Dylan went to bed that night feeling good about themselves.  Their self-esteems got a big boost that day, that’s for sure.  I pray they remember that whatever talents they may have, were given to them by the Most High God for them to use for His purpose, not their own.  I pray that they are aware of the power of the Holy Spirit in them and how that power is given to God’s children for the furthering of His Kingdom.  I pray they realize that His Grace is what sustains them and maintains them.  I pray they discover that it is through Him and in Him that they can do all things.  I pray we all get to hear one day the voice of our Lord saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”