DIVINE STRENGTH
‘Thy God hath sent forth strength for thee.’
Psalms 68:28 (Prayer Book Version)
What is it that every one of us complains of so frequently in our spiritual life? Is it not our own want of power, our own weakness? We look into our life and see how much there is in it which should be different. We feel the need of listening to that word which is spoken to us so continually by the still small voice of God whispering in our hearts and consciences, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ And yet we say that, notwithstanding our effort and intention, our condition remains what it was. True, we do inherit from Adam the taint of sin, but what then?
I. A new life has been given to us.—We have not only been born of our parents, but we have been born again of water and the Holy Ghost. Being by nature born in sin and the children of wrath, we are by Baptism made the children of grace. The children of grace receive, then and there, from Almighty God grace by that new birth, grace by the gift of the Holy Spirit, a grace which enables each one of us to say as St. Paul said: ‘I can—notwithstanding my weakness and my imperfection—I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ ‘I cannot,’ finds no place in the Christian’s vocabulary. ‘I will not’—alas! too often we meet with that, not only in others, but in ourselves. But ‘I cannot’ has no existence for a Christian. ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ And mark it well—‘all things.’ We most of us think we can overcome certain propensities in our nature. We know, thank God, that we have been able to make some progress in spiritual things, but then there is that particular sin which does so easily beset us. That is an evil which we cannot eradicate. There is the word again, ‘cannot.’ ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ And see what St. Paul had to go through in his ‘all things,’ see how he had to suffer. Look at the description he gives of the toils, and troubles, and miseries that befell him. Yet he triumphed over them all, and he is a saint in the heavenly Jerusalem, rejoicing in the full sunshine of the Presence of the Most High. You and I are to be the same.
II. The grace by which we are enabled to do all things through Christ.—This grace is given to us in full measure, given to us, as we have seen, at the very threshold of our life, ere yet we know good from harm. As tender innocents, Christ takes us in His arms, signs us with the sign of His grace, washes us in the water of Baptism, and puts upon us the robe of righteousness. Nor is that only so, but as soon as we have come to years of discretion, as we are feeling the great struggle of life, there is more grace. There is that special rite of God’s Church, which we call by the very title of strengthening, for Confirmation is, as you know, nothing but strengthening, making firm and strong. And that is the special gift given by the Holy Ghost, and day by day, if we will, that same Holy Spirit is granted to us, giving us the grace that we need to do all things. Do we need a right judgment? To whom shall we appeal but to that same Holy Spirit? Do we need purity? To whom shall we appeal save to that Blessed Spirit? ‘Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit.’ Do we need that most excellent gift of charity? ‘Send Thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity.’ Yes, ever and always, we must approach the Holy Spirit, and plead with Him for this grace, this strength which He gives us. We must ask for God’s Holy Spirit. ‘Take not Thy Holy Spirit from us, establish us with Thy free Spirit’—this must be the appeal of our heart, ever and always, and we shall find how true it is: ‘Thy God hath sent forth strength for thee.’
III. ‘Thy God’—mark the words of the Psalmist—‘Thy God hath sent forth strength for thee.’ It is the personal God coming to each individual with just that strength which is absolutely needful for its spiritual welfare, and without which that soul cannot make progress. So for you and for me, depend upon it, there is no excuse that we cannot do this or that. ‘I can do all things.’
—Rev. Canon R. R. Bristow.