Promises, promises

I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’ “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.” 
But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” 
And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord.” 
Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” 
And they said, “We are witnesses.” 
He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 
And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.” 
So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. (Joshua 24:13–25)

This conversation sounds familiar to me. How many times have I wanted to do the right thing, failed, made a promise never to do that again, but did? Yet best intentions and trying harder do not work.

This morning, my hubby and I talked about shared experiences where we admitted our sins AND our helplessness. Instead of promising to do better, or ‘never again’ we knew that was folly and admitted only our inability and weakness — only to realize over time that sin was no longer happening in our lives. How did that happen?

We agreed is that no one wants to feel useless or helpless. We want to be able to do the right thing, but as Joshua said, we are not able to serve the Lord — not in our own strength or initiative or ability. Instead of saying “I can do it” — the only way to be able to do anything well is plead with the Lord not to remove our weakness but to help us embrace it:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9–10)

Often we say that God's ways are not our ways, and these verses make that clear. I ask to be powerful and He asks me to admit I am not. He asks me to do the impossible when I ask for power. but the secret to being able is admitting that I’m not able and never will be on my own. Most certainly, His ways are not mine.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4–5)

Jesus, You are teaching me something many others think is sheer nonsense. You want me to pray for Your strength as I realize my weakness, but not in despair but in joy because I know You will surprise and even shock me with the wonder of how You answer those prayers. How glad I am that I can’t do a thing without You.