July 28th
Strength
It was not a funny thing that happened to me years ago at the time; but after the ordeal was over it WAS humorous. It had to do with my wife's dad -A.O. DuBois visiting from St. Louis, Mo. He went out with us to the desert to look for insulators.
We would spoke around old abandon telephone poles looking for purple or other interesting insulators. There was one time that we spotted four poles. On them were great "finds". I threw a rope over one of the cross arms - dad held the other end of the rope. I pulled myself up - reached the cross arm - climbed out a little way...tried to unscrew the insulator. I was successful!! I got 4 - throwing them down (gently?) to my wife.
When it was time to come down, dad was to hold the rope so I could scale down the OLD pole. Let me say right away that the pole was old, rugged and full of splinters. Dad let go! (We never knew why.) You guessed it - I fell - no, I should say, I slid down the pole. I had taken my shirt was off to work on my tan. Well, Nancy and her dad stopped counting splinters after 100.
I relied on his strength. It is really not a good comparison, but it was like the boy who said I will go down this cliff to look for the lost sheep, IF my father holds the rope.
My friend, our strength comes from God. It is important to know, believe and live the fact that in Him there is safety. When the Heavenly Father holds the rope there is no chance of a mistake.
Now the word strength comes from a word signifying "twisted together". David said several times that "The Lord is the strength of my life." and "God is the strength of my soul." My friend, then your life is twisted together with the Lord. God and your soul are as two strands twisted together. You may not have any strength, but while twisted with One that is eternal the weakest will not fail. In your life right now - God is threaded. Rely on His strength during this time.
Prayer
Lord, encourage this one who may seem weak in a situation with your strength. May they know that "The Lord is the strength of my salvation."
Amen