Last night I was listening to a pastor preach. He had a very encouraging word on how to be strong in adverse circumstances. It reminded me of a blog I had written in October 2018. I want to share part of it with you this morning.
Do you know what tensile strength is? And why it’s important?
“Tensile strength is a measurement of the force required to pull something such as rope, wire, or a structural beam to the point where it breaks. The tensile strength of a material is the maximum amount of tensile stress that it can take before failure, for example breaking.”
It’s important to know the tensile strength of a rope, chain or tie down strap that is used for towing. If someone is stuck in snow or mud and we’re going to try to pull them out, it’s essential that to know how much weight the tow rope can handle. If it’s not strong enough it will snap before the vehicle is freed from its plight.
But what does all this have to do with us?
If we try to lift a load that is too heavy emotionally or we try to carry it for too long, we come dangerously close to reaching our maximum strength and we can snap. Ever been to that point? Perhaps you’ve even said “that’s the straw that broke the camel’s back”, “you’re on my last nerve” – I’m done with you, I’m done with this. It’s over. I can’t take anymore!
What a horrible place to be? We weren’t made to carry those types of burdens or handle that kind of stress. That’s why God tells us all throughout His word that He is our strength.
“The Lord is my strength, the reason for my song, because he has saved me. I praise and honor the Lord— he is my God and the God of my ancestors. 3 The Lord is his name, and he is a warrior!” Exodus 15:2-3 CEV
This is part of the song that Moses and the Israelites sang on the other side of the Red Sea. They had fled Egypt in the middle of the night and pharaoh was pursuing them with the armies of Egypt. They came to the Red Sea and the Lord displayed his strength by holding back the waters so the people of Israel could cross on dry ground. When the Egyptians started to follow after them the Lord released the waters and all the Egyptians drown. They were celebrating God’s strength and saving power.
What the Israelites couldn’t do on their own, the Lord did for them. He will do the same for us.
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The God Who lives forever is the Lord, the One Who made the ends of the earth. He will not become weak or tired. His understanding is too great for us to begin to know. 29 He gives strength to the weak. And He gives power to him who has little strength. 30 Even very young men get tired and become weak and strong young men trip and fall. 31 But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak.” Isaiah 40:28-31 NLV
When we feel like the rope or the cable that is holding our world together is beginning to fray, God is there! He gives strength to us when we become weary. When we come to our end, He is just beginning.
God wants us to lay down our rope or cable and let Him use his.
“I can do all things because Christ gives me the strength.” Philippians 4:13 NLV