Life's Daily Challenge Devotional

Be vulnerable

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong," 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.

To the strong in Christ,

Imagine that your home is on a beautiful beach. While you are out walking one day, you look toward the ocean and see a giant tidal wave cresting in the distance. You know that in a short while the wave will crash upon you, taking your life and washing all that you own out to sea. In front of you see a large pile a bricks and some mortar. Furiously you begin to make a brick wall between yourself and the wave. You reinforce it as much as you can, expending every ounce of energy that you have. The sweat pours off you as you labor to save your life. The wave crashes against your wall which holds it momentarily. Soon, however the water starts seeping through, cracks the wall, and washes you and all you have away.

Now imagine this same scenario. Your home is on the beach. You're taking the same walk and spot the same destructive wave. This time you look at the pile of bricks for a moment, but realize that your efforts to protect yourself are worthless. You whisper a prayer to the Lord, placing your full confidence in Him. It appears that you are completely unprotected, but you rest in His faithfulness. See seek Him for His direction. Sensing none, you quietly wait. A hand comes down from heaven. With one finger, the hand draws a line in the sand between you and the wave. The hand ascends back to heaven again. The wave violently rolls toward you. You wonder whether you are a fool for doing seemingly nothing to save yourself. Your faith rises up once again and quiets your fears. Just as it seems that the wave is going to wash you away, the water piles up against the invisible barriers that was formed when the line was drawn in the sand. You are safely hidden in a secret place. Though neighbor’s homes are being washed away, the wave cannot come near you. You only watch with your eyes.

God says that it is in our weakness that He is made strong. We often remove ourselves from His protection in our futile attempts to cover and protect ourselves. Place yourself under His protection today. Refuse to run in fear. Trust in Him with all your heart. Wait for His instruction. Do what He tells you to do. Rest in His faithfulness. Indeed, this is the safest place you can be!