The Send-sational Aspect of Faith

“Send” has been a big part of the American communications experience. The short-lived Pony Express became legendary for doing its part in delivering mail sent to and from people in the ever-expanding frontier. We’ve long depended on the post office for delivery of mail sent to us: letters, cards, periodicals, bills, packages – and the ever-popular junk mail.

 

To speed up the process, UPS, FedEx and other delivery services were created. Our urgent need to send and receive mail and parcels had to be met. Fax machines emerged to hasten the delivery of important communications. And these days, we’re sending more than ever. Text messages and email transmitted almost instantaneously simply by pressing the “Send” button. Haste can sometimes lead to unfortunate consequences, however, if something’s written impulsively or in anger.

I’m old enough to remember the hit ballad “You Send Me,” first recorded by Sam Cooke and years later by Aretha Franklin. You might also recall these stirring words:

“Darling, you send me

I know you send me

Darling, you send me

Honest you do, honest you do

Honest you do, whoa-oh

 

You thrill me
I know you, you, you thrill me
Darling you, you, you, you thrill me
Honest you do….”

You get the idea. Of course, that was about an entirely different kind of “send.” But I suppose you could say that as a society, we’ve always been a bit “send-sational.”

 

Shifting the focus, have you ever thought about how central the verb “send” is to the Gospel message? Almost from the start, God has been sending His people to other places to carry out His will. 

 

Abram was perfectly content in Haran, but when he was 75 years old, the Lord told him to leave and go to the land of Canaan. When Joseph’s jealous brothers sold him to a passing caravan, they didn’t realize they were part of God’s plan for sending Joseph to Egypt where he would become instrumental in dealing with the coming famine.

 

Jesse, worried about his older sons who fighting with King Saul against the Philistines, sent his shepherd boy son David to bring them food and see if they were safe. Upon arrival, God turned David into a hero, using him to slay the giant Goliath.

 

After four centuries of Egyptian captivity, it was time to God to free His petulant and rebellious chosen people. He sent Moses to demand that Pharaoh free them. He told Moses:

“…I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey…. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:7-10).

 

Later in the Old Testament we read about God calling Isaiah to prophecy to the nation of Israel – even though he regarded himself as totally unworthy. “‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty’” (Isaiah 6:5). Isaiah learned God often sends people not on the basis of ability, but availability.

 

When the Lord called out, Isaiah was ready. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send. And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’’” (Isaiah 6:8). Today, the book of Isaiah is the longest of the prophetic writings; the words God expressed through the prophet still speak to us today.

 

The sending aspect of faith becomes even more prominent in the New Testament. Jesus wanted His message spread throughout the world – the Gospel of salvation, forgiveness, redemption and transformation. To prepare His closest followers to become His ambassadors, the Lord gave them their first missionary assignment:

“…Jesus sent them out with the following instructions: ‘Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: “The kingdom of heaven is near’….” (Matthew 10:5-16).

 

Both Matthew 9:38 and Luke 10:2 recount Jesus’ the urgency of this commission to His followers: “Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.’”

 

Following Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus made His first appearance to the disciples, who had been cowering in fear in a locked room. He reaffirmed that He was sending them out to tell others about Himself. “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you’” (John 20:21).

 

And the very last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before His ascension to heaven also concerned where He was sending them: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20). He also said, "you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

 

What does this mean for us? Just as a text message or email is of no value until we press “Send,” our impact as followers of Jesus is minimal unless we’re open to go wherever He might choose to send us. It might be to another part of the world, another state, another city, or just across the street. One thing I know: If we respond in obedience, the result is bound to be "send-sational."

Discovering Strength in the Midst of Weakness

In our culture – most cultures, in fact – we practically worship strength. It’s been like that for as long as anyone can remember. Years ago, advertising gave us the image of the beefy beach bum flexing his biceps in front of swooning bathing beauties while a 100-pound weakling looked on in envy.

 

In sports, fans stare in awe at the massive offensive lineman in football who blasts openings in the opposing team’s defense for the running back, or his defensive counterpart who flings blockers aside as he races toward the quarterback. Baseball has hulking sluggers and their tape-measure homeruns, and in basketball we “ooh” and “aah” at towering athletes slam-dunking balls through the nets.

The movies depict strength in many ways. Superheroes, straight out of the comic books, muster their powers to engage in the perpetual battle of good vs. evil. Superman never imagined the feats of strength 21^st century superheroes perform. If you’re more into the animated types of heroes, you might remember characters like Popeye (with his spinach-infused biceps), the flying rodent Mighty Mouse (“Here I come to save the day!”), and even the villain-vanquishing Underdog, with his patented words of assurance, “There is no need to fear. Underdog is here!”

 

Our real-life, everyday world showcases strength in myriad ways. There’s military might, of course. And economic power. Political parties revel in flexing their executive and legislative muscles while they’re in power. The media seek to influence and even shape society through the power of the spoken and printed word. And in the work world, people in positions of leadership often leverage their strength to advance their agendas.

 

In the Bible, however, we find things much the opposite. As it says in 1 Corinthians 1:27, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” The reason is simple: The Lord desires to receive the glory and honor He deserves, so He works through us despite our weaknesses and inadequacies.

 

Think of shepherd boy David, long before he rose to become king of Israel, conquering the towering giant Goliath, all nine feet of him, without using a conventional weapon of war. Veteran Israelite warriors had cowered before Goliath, so God manifested His power through li’l ole David, armed only with a slingshot and stone. As David had declared to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Samuel 17:45).

 

How about Gideon, whom God called to lead the Israelites against the powerful Midianites? When the angel of the Lord charged Gideon to lead Israel against the massive Midianite army, he argued, “… ‘how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’ The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together’” (Judges 6:15-16). To ensure that the Israelites didn’t take the credit for victory, God even commanded Gideon to reduce his troops from 22,000 to a mere 300.

 

Strongman Samson had to lose his famous hair and eyesight before God would use him to exact vengeance against the scheming Philistines. In the moments before his death, Samson prayed, “O Sovereign Lord, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines…” (Judges 16:28). The Lord indeed strengthened Samson after he had been paraded into the pagan temple; pushing against the supporting pillars, we might say Samson ‘brought the house down.’

 

There are so many other biblical examples of God working through human weakness, but there’s perhaps none better than the apostle Paul, once a proud Pharisee who was humbled when he encountered Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. Truly converted and transformed, Paul spoke often of his total dependence on God. Lest he might forget, the Lord gave him a “thorn in the flesh.”

 

Speaking of the debilitating impact of that unidentified “thorn,” the apostle Paul stated, “But [the Lord] 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

 

What does this have to do with us? Aren’t we often encouraged by friends to “be strong” in the face of adversity? The principle is simple: During times of crisis, while we may be tempted to rely on our material resources, our mental and physical capabilities, and the help of others, God wants us to realize that our trust should be in Him alone.

 

This is a lesson best learned before circumstances become desperate. The Lord wants us to depend on Him at all times, not wait until we’ve exhausted all other possible options. He desires for us to wake up every morning and go to bed each night with the same thought running through our minds: “The Lord is my strength and my song, and He had become my salvation,” as it says in Exodus 15:2 and Psalm 118:14, and expressed similarly in many other passages.

We’re admonished in Ephesians 6:10 at all times to “be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." Contrary to what our culture tells us, being weak isn't a bad thing.

David vs. Goliath Today

Most of us have some familiarity with the Bible’s account of David and Goliath. Young shepherd boy, armed with nothing more than a slingshot and a handful of stones, taking on the towering warrior who caused even seasoned Israelite fighters to cower in fear. Except David had one more asset – the power of Jehovah, the Lord God.

Having warded off bears and lions in protecting his sheep, David might have drawn from experience for a bit of courage. But ultimately, it was his faith and trust in God’s power and protection that prompted him to undertake what some might have viewed as an impulsive act. Confronting the giant Philistine, David declared:

“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me…. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you [Philistines] into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:45-47).

That’s exactly what happened. As it turned out, David needed only one stone. Propelled by the slingshot, the stone smashed Goliath in the forehead and down he went, one dead intimidator. In biblical math, one plus God equals an overwhelming victory.

We’re tempted to regard this as an entertaining story from long ago, but the same principles hold true today. We might never face a fierce physical giant, but sooner or later life presents each of us with “Goliaths” that are far more formidable than our resources. 

Are you facing a “giant” right now? Perhaps financial woes seem overwhelming. When my wife and I got married, I brought sizable credit card debt with me. It took us years to dig out of that hole, but with discipline – and a healthy dose of wise counsel, based on biblical principles about money management – we eventually became free of the trap that has captured so many.

Maybe you or a loved one are facing desperate health circumstances. Medical science has provided no solutions, and now you’re reluctantly preparing for the worst. Whether within our families, or with friends, we’ve all come too close and personal with situations like these.

Someone’s “Goliath” might be a complicated, extremely troubled marriage, or a job situation that makes the start of each new day seem like a prison sentence. It could be depression, or some overwhelming addiction. Whatever such circumstances may be, it’s hard not to lose hope. That’s when it’s helpful, even essential, to remember the lesson of David vs. Goliath.

As a shepherd, and later as king of Israel, David learned when the situation seemed most dire, God was more than capable of handling it – often in ways he couldn’t have anticipated. (Even with something as simple as a slingshot and stone.)

Ephesians 6:10 states it plainly: “Be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might.” We often err when we stick with the conviction that it’s all up to us, that we must give it all we have, and if we’re lucky God will give us a little boost to get us over the top. In reality, He isn’t there to “give us a hand.” Often, I’ve discovered, the Lord waits until we’ve exhausted every option and have nothing left. Then He responds, “Okay, now watch and see what I can do!”

One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 40:31, which says, “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Another translation expresses is as “those who wait on the Lord.” We don’t like waiting. We want to tackle it right now, get it over with. And we don’t like the idea of having to depend on God to resolve our pressing problems. But that’s what He enjoys doing best – when all else has failed, He shows us what He alone is able to do.

The apostle Paul, who encountered more than his share of seemingly impossible trials, knew firsthand about God’s sufficiency. He wrote, “But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Delight in weakness? Being strong – when we’re weak? Apart from the ears and eyes of faith, that sounds like mumbo-jumbo. But that’s the way the Lord works. It’s like He’s saying to us, “No matter what your Goliath is, I can handle it. Trust me.”