It's Your Power You Exalt

Michael E. Wood

July 28, 2011

Upon listening to a message by Alistair Begg entitled, The Power of Weakness, preached from 2^nd Chronicles 20, I was reminded not only of my own weakness, but of the power of God by the Son of His love which shines brilliantly into my own heart penetrating through every thought to manifest the obedience of Christ unto His glory and praise. By His Spirit we are given the grace to see through the natural events of this life the beauty of Christ, and are empowered to look to Him through His Word as through a glass darkly now, but one day face to face, we shall see Him as He is, and Hallelujah, we shall be like Him!

And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
 
 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.  Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.   Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹ To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.   1 Peter 5:4-11

Oh Father, in our weakness, it’s Your power You exalt,

As You alone thus penetrate by light our cloudy thought

Of strength of which we think we have, when none but Yours exist,

And under Your Almighty hand, the devil we resist.

For You O God, oppose the proud and grace give to the humble

As we cast our cares on You, o’er which at times we stumble.

And as You are the giver of all grace through Christ we find,

You care for us and give the faith to be of sober mind.

To be on watch for him that prowls like a roaring lion,

Seeking someone to devour, the adversary of Zion.

Oh help us be not puffed up in what we have just imagined,

But be encouraged by the brotherhood that You have fashioned.

And by experience when we have suffered for a while

We trust You will restore, confirm, and strengthen by Your smile.

And by the promise of Your Word and Holy Ghost establish

All in Your dominion by the grace of which You lavish

On us now so richly till the time that He appears;

Jesus, the Chief-Shepherd, who transcends all of our years.

As from Him the unfading crown of glory we receive

We’ll know that through His cross alone and mercy we believe,

Forever and forever with Jesus we shall spend

Eternity unto His praise, whose praise shall never end!