"Empowerment"

The bull was just too scary,

And I was way too green,

To catch the brute, and no dispute,

The worst I’d ever seen.

But when came time to rope him,

I got some help to go,

And sure enough, though he was tough,

We got it done, you know.

That horse was actin’ snorty,

And I was way too old,

To mount and ride, all this beside,

His back seemed mighty cold.

But I stepped on him anyway,

With some good help from a friend,

He didn’t buck, well, not that much,

I rode him to the end.

Came time to tell my story,

The preacher asked me to,

I nearly balked, I never talked,

Before a crowd, it’s true.

I knew that It was something,

I had to learn to do,

So I said yes, though quite a test,

The Lord, He spoke right through.

And this I find, time after time,

God’s grace comes through for me,

The fear is cast into the past,

So I can live stress-free.

Whatever challenge that you face,

Remember Christ in you,

He’ll energize your enterprise,

He empowers all we do.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…” (Acts 1:8, NLT)

Jesus promised empowerment to His disciples. The power to become witnesses would depend upon the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. To be baptized with the Spirit meant to be filled to overflowing with God’s presence. And this would energize them to live and speak boldly for Christ. He, in fact, would live through them, and use them to change the world. It is exactly the same for us. Despite our fears, hesitation, weakness, and inexperience, the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit makes all the difference. He will empower and energize us just as He did the first disciples.

Lord, empower us, in Jesus’ name.

Photography by MIchael Magill, used by permission. Thanks, and God bless you.