25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, 26 to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. 27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. 28 You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. 29 With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.

This brings to mind the statement of Paul in Phil 4:13: I can do everything through him who gives me strength. On another occasion Paul said that it was when he was weak that he realized the strength of God. He told the Corinthians that it was when he despaired, even of death, that he learned to really trust in God. Why do we think we can live without letting God control us? Why do we think we can overcome our temptations and trials without his help? It is he who made us and who knows our weaknesses and strengths. It is he who can change our circumstances in life. It is he who can give us strength to overcome the things that Satan throws at us. Without him, none of this can be accomplished.

I have often heard people say that they would serve God when they got their lives straightened out or when they have overcome some specific problem or habit. This is like saying we will drive our car when the engine is missing. Satan is stronger than any of us. We should never underestimate his power or the potential danger he poses. But God can and does limit his activities toward those who trust in him and live for him. With God to empower us we can accomplish the impossible, we can escape that which entangles us and we can face with confident assurance that which seems hopeless in our minds. He is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine.

Now, all of this is available to us. In fact, God wants to give it to us and he wants to take care of us. But he wants us to trust him enough that we will follow his will without reservation or question. When God says it, the matter should be settled. For us to know his will for our lives and for us to know what God has to say, we must spend time studying his word, the Bible. He has graciously revealed himself to us thru his Son and recorded it for our learning, our comfort, our salvation and our hope. He has also promised to give us his Spirit in our hearts to provide wisdom and understanding when we listen to him. Praise God for his indescribable gift to us!

O God, give me wisdom to know you and your power in my life. Increase my faith so that I may live for you and overcome this world. Help me keep my eyes on you and the things above, where Christ is seated at your right hand. Forgive my weakness and stubbornness. I pray in Jesus name.

May God bless each of us as we allow him to mold us in his will.