Flawed: March 20, 2014

TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY MARCH 20, 2014.

FLAWED

DEFINITION:

Defective, imperfect, weak.

SCRIPTURE:

My strength is made perfect in weakness. II Corinthians 12:9

For without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

In an interview of an actor, he said that he enjoyed playing “flawed” characters in movies because people relate to an imperfect character. This is true. People like to hear about flawed people. When you look at what makes the biggest headlines in the news it is stories about famous people, such as politicians, sports figures, or stars in the entertainment world who commit a scandalous act of wrong doing.

The media knows that the public loves to hear about other people’s failures and flaws, especially those who are looked up to. The reason we like to hear about other people’s transgressions is that it makes us feel better about ourselves. We all know that we are flawed but we do not want others to know how flawed we are.

Most of us would agree that it is easier for us to understand people who are not perfect because we know that we are not perfect. Therefore they are a lot like us.

There are so many accounts in the Bible of people who were flawed and had weaknesses and yet God used them in powerful and mighty ways. Most of them faced times of decision or times of crisis that revealed their weaknesses. Jacob resorted to deceiving his father so that he would receive his father’s blessing. Gideon was so unsure of God that he asked him twice for proof that He would be faithful to do what He said He would do. Peter was so fearful for his own safety that he denied knowing his friend and Lord.

When you read the rest of the stories of these men, you will observe that these people were able, with God’s help, to overcome their shortcomings and ultimately were useful to God. They were all flawed but when they put their trust in God, He made them useful. It was by first seeing that they were weak that they could see that they had to depend on God and not on themselves.

Just as the people who lived thousands of years ago, each one of us has flaws. By the grace of God we can overcome our flaws and imperfections by embracing “His strength which is made perfect in weakness.” II Corinthians 12:9. When we forget to depend on the Lord, the Lord may make us weaker with the intention of making us realize we will do better when we rely solely on Him. When we feel we are strong in abilities or resources we try to do God’s work on our own. It is in our weakness that we turn to God and God’s power is able to shine forth. 

God’s strength and power is available to all who love Him and no one is so flawed that God cannot use them. Nor is anyone so unflawed that they do not need God’s strength and power. No matter how great our abilities or how hard we work, Jesus tells us in John 15:5, “Without Me you can do nothing.”

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in John 14:5-6.

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

PRAYER:

It is my prayer today that Your strength will be made perfect in my weakness. It is my desire, Lord, that through my weakness You can be glorified by the working of Your power. Help me to recognize my weaknesses and give me Your grace to acknowledge that of myself I can do nothing.