Continuing our meditations on my friend Randy Raysbrook’s “psalm:”

I say, “If I am strong enough, I can achieve great things.”
Lord, you say, “Really?”

Line 1 sounds good. We’re supposed to be strong.

”Be strong in the Lord…” (Ephesians 6.10)
“Train yourself for godliness.” (1 Timothy 4.7)

But it’s not my strength, it’s his:

”Be strong in the Lord and the power of his might.” (Ephesians 6.10)
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4.13)

And even when I’m strong, I don’t achieve great things. We achieve great things together: I, the Lord, with the community. Football is a good metaphor here. Americans like their heroes, the individual stars, which, in football, is usually the quarterback. But the quarterback, no matter how good he is, by himself, is useless. He doesn’t block for himself. He doesn’t throw the passes to himself. He has to have a very good team around him to succeed, including the coaches who make everything work well together.

Clemson University won its game yesterday without Heisman Trophy candidate Trevor Lawrence who was diagnosed with COVID last week. Clemson won not only because the backup quarterback is talented in his own right but also because of the whole team. The rest of the offense. The defense. Trevor doesn’t achieve great things. The team does.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us… (Ephesians 3.20, ESV)

Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4.6, ESV)

He told me, My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness… (2 Corinthians 12.9, MSG)