Using All of Your Strength

A farmer noticed his six-year-old son not succeeding in pushing a very large rock that weighed about two-hundred pounds to a corner of a field.  His father asked, “Are you using all of the strength available to move that rock?”  His son said, “Yes.  I’ll move it.”
 
After about an hour, the rock may have moved an inch.  So, his father again asked, “Are you using all of the available strength to move that rock?”  Again his son said, “Yes.”  This went on throughout the day.
 
Later in the day after being asked yet again, his son said, “Yes, Dad.  I am.  What other strength do I have to move this rock?”  His father said, “You’ve got me.”
 
Christ never meant for us to go to perfection alone.  That is works-righteousness, which means we do not need God’s help because “we can do it ourselves.”  Instead, working out our salvation and going to perfection is not anything any of us can do.  Only Christ through the Holy Spirit can do that. 
 
Are you using all your available strength and power to work out your salvation today?  Are you allowing Christ’s Holy Spirit to help you move the obstacles in your life today?

QUESTIONS FOR THE FIELD

• When it comes to handling things in your life, do you prefer to handle them yourself or are you willing to let Christ help you?
• In the past when you have allowed Christ to help you with something, how did that feel compared to handling issues yourself?
• What issue(s) are you facing today?  Are your allowing Christ’s Holy Spirit to help you with this/these issues?

FAMILY FIELD TALK

• Share a time in which your work went so much faster and easier when someone helped you.
• Share a time in which you helped another get the other’s work done faster and easier.
• Is there anything you are doing right now in which you need help?  What is it?
• Is there someone in your family who needs your help?
• How might our family let Jesus help us?

PRAYER
Most loving gracious Lord, we know you are here to help.  We know you want us to allow you to love us.  Lord, help us allow you to empower us through your Holy Spirit to live our lives today.  In your gracious name, I pray.  In your gracious loving name, we pray. Amen.