Your Strength Is Your Weakness

“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, In His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King.”

Psalm 48:1-2  

In my almost 60 years of life I have learned three important lessons that continually shape the way I think and how I approach life. They are in no particular order, “Life through death, strength through weakness and success though failure.” As I was reading Psalm 48 yesterday I immediately was reminded that our strength comes through our weakness, in the Lord that is. To fully appreciate Psalm 48 it’s good to know the topography surrounding Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem is surrounded on three sides by valleys that serve as natural barrier’s to invasion but from the North there is no protection at all. Israel’s enemies were fully aware of her vulnerability from the north and would attack the city from the north any time a battle took place.

What makes this fact more interesting to me is that Jerusalem is the only city on earth that God has claimed for Himself. Most of the time when a location was chosen to build a city and sustain life it would be near a water source like a river or lake or a seaport for the obvious reasons. Not Jerusalem. It has no river or lake and therefore is vulnerable not just from a military standpoint but also from a lack of natural resources. One might think, why on earth would God pick Jerusalem as the city where His glory would dwell.

Two names of God come to mind. The first is the Hebrew name, “Elohim” which means “helper”. God is our helper and never more than in times of trouble, then when we are exposed and vulnerable to the enemies attack. The other name of God that comes to mind is, “Jehovah Jireh” which means. “God provides.” God provides protection as well as provision in the lives of His children. There is an old saying I like that says, “the safest place to be in the world is in the center of God’s will. The most dangerous place to be is any other place.” The point is this, God could pick any place in the world to build a city for His people because wherever He is safe. It makes no difference how many enemies might rise up against us, with God on your side the victory is all but won!

Israel’s vulnerability served to be her strength as long as they trusted God to protect them, He did. Often times without the army even having to raise a sword. The reason is simple, the battle is the Lord’s. Psalm 20:7 captures the thought best, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” No need to pretend to be strong, because we are not. No reason to act like we are not vulnerable, God knows we are. What’s important to know is, “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now I will arise," says the LORD; "I will set him in the safety for which he yearns" (Psalm 12:5). What God was for the nation of Israel then He is for those who look to Him today as well. Psalm 46:1 reminds us, “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble” just as Deuteronomy 31:6 exhorts us, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you."

Don’t forget, loved one, God’s grace is made perfect in weakness. Don’t try to hide your vulnerabilities any longer. Instead, expose them and bring them to the Lord, resting in His love and grace towards you. Let God be strong for you today, “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). Declare like the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Remember Paul’s words to the Philippians, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).  


“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:57


I LOVE YOU!

Michael Osthimer

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