Psalms 146:1-4, 123:1-2, and 31:1-4

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in 1 Corinthians 9. The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind in verse 12:

1 Corinthians 9:12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

The clause that caught my attention was “Nevertheless we have not used this power, but suffer all things.” My first thought was that we don’t always use our power, not as parents, pastors, or magistrates. Certain prerogatives come with a position that, out of discretion, we might refrain from exercising. Sometimes we do this at some cost to us. Paul said that rather than use the power he and his fellow laborers had as ministers of Christ, they would “suffer all things.” The guiding principle for making this decision is that which the Spirit has told us should guide all that we do: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31; see Colossians 3:17, 23).

Along the still waters, the Spirit spoke to my heart. What really knocked me out of my socks was the realization that Jesus acted on this principle. He refrained from using His power or exercising the full prerogatives of His position, and instead “suffered all things” (Philippians 2:5-11).

This was a stumbling block for me. I was angry that He allowed wicked men to mistreat Him so cruelly. It seemed wrong, like encouraging bullying behavior. But I did not understand this principle of refraining from using power to avoid hindering a greater good. In this case, Jesus restrained Himself because of His love for me.

I remember sitting in the pew of Central Baptist Church in Bell Gardens, CA. Having read the gospel of Matthew through more than twenty times, and often becoming so agitated that Jesus allowed these evil men to treat Him so vilely, I would throw my New Testament across my room in disgust. Then, sitting in that church on a Wednesday night, the preacher announced he would explain to us why Jesus, who had power to walk on water, calm storms, and raise the dead, allowed these evil men to abuse Him. When he explained the gospel, that Christ must be delivered to the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and die to pay my penalty for sin, it broke my heart that I had on more than one occasion cast my Bible from me, cursing such weakness, despising His failure to use His power to stop the atrocity.

I was ashamed and humbled to my knees to receive Christ as my LORD. His love for me restrained Him; now the love of Christ constraineth me (2 Corinthians 5:14).

In the valley, as I knelt in the shadow of His Cross, I heard Him say in the gentle tones of the muted roar of ocean waves lapping the shores softly: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy attended as we went, together, into the harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏