Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

There’s No Greater Power!

Ok, good friends and “followers,” here is my – measured – response to this weekend’s over-the-top “let’s blow up social media with drama” hoopla.

For help with this, I have gone to the always open-hearted, full of love for Jesus, never judgmental, what-you-see-is-what-you-get kids who flooded Vacation Bible School at our church this past week.

Ready? Here goes. cue the TOP VOLUME SINGING… “THERE’S NO GREATER POWER THAN THE POWER OF OUR GOD!” That’s what the kids sang – at the capacity of their more than ample lungs no less. Then they followed up with several different, but closely related versions of the same idea. “God is the strongest.” “My God has all the power.” “We have nothing to fear with God on our side.” “With God we can overcome any obstacle.” “With God we can climb any mountain.” That kind of thing.

And, you know what? the voices of 150 kids, singing their little hearts out, makes me take note of how easily – and cluelessly – I tend to try to replace God with my own power. “I can do it myself.” “Let me fix that for God.” “If we don’t make this go away then God is going down in a ball of flames.”

Really? God is going to flame out? I don’t think so.

GOD HAS THIS!

These wonderful children have their focus in exactly the right place. “THERE’S NO GREATER POWER THAN THE POWER OF OUR GOD!” God is sufficient. God is so much greater than our limited perspectives! God can handle the details. Don’t sweat it, people! Our job is to praise God, to invite others into relationship with Jesus, and to hold the door open for our brothers and sisters.

Our job is:

• to praise God,
• to invite others into relationship with Jesus,
• and to hold the door open for our brothers and sisters.

This I know: I’ve been wrong a lot in my life. I’ll likely be wrong again. But there’s one thing I’m 100% right about, and the Wake Forest Presbyterian Church VBS kids agree with me right down the line: “THERE’S NO GREATER POWER THAN THE POWER OF OUR GOD!”

INVITATION!: I’m inviting anyone and everyone I know – and those of you I don’t know – into a life-affirming, transformational, encouraging, soul-healing walk with God. A right-now relationship with Jesus.

Are you confused? Are you completely confident? Are you open-hearted? Are you kind of closed? Are you gay? Are you straight? Are you liberal? Are you conservative? Are you young? Are you pushing middle age – or beyond? Well I don’t care who you are, and what your life circumstance is. Regardless of any of that, you need to know my friend Jesus. Jesus will lead you, Jesus will guide you, and Jesus will bring you home.

That’s right, I said “home.” Jesus is going to bring God’s children home. And – I have it from a reliable source – there really is no greater power than the power of our God.

Seriously, folks, God has got this. Now, does God have you?

– DEREK