Its Power

3.16.2010

1 Corinthians 1:17 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. ESV

Everyone seems to like a good speaker; someone who can cleverly or creatively craft words to get the point across. It’s probably more accurate to say that everyone likes an interesting speaker. It helps.

But God doesn’t depend on elocution or allocution to get His point across – God makes His point in power and goes against the conventional, and acceptable, wisdom of man to do it. That’s why Paul said something to the effect of, “I came on a mission from God to share the truth in power so that the cross of Christ would not be robbed of its power through cleverness or eloquence. It ain’t the speaker or the methods used, it’s God!”

The power of God on display in my life is there to pique the hearts of those who see me so that they can see it is all Him and not me. I am a recipient of His power, not a possessor of His power. The power is in the message, not in me…

Father in Heaven,

May it be all You today and not me. May I hold my tongue, control my thoughts, and bring glory to You by my obedience and sacrifice that the cross of Christ would be the evidence of the power – I pray in His Name, amen.