THE LORD STRONG AND MIGHTY
PSALM 24:8
PSALM 24:8 NKJ
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
In many of the ancient paintings depicting Jesus, we don't see these attributes displayed. Too often, it's Jesus meek and mild. A softer, gentler Jesus. Even yesterday, we looked at the Lord as our Shepherd. My point is that it's very easy to relate to an easy-going merciful, kind, almost soft Jesus. And there is that side. The Jesus beloved by children. The Jesus that lepers and blind men were able to approach. The Jesus full of compassion who fed the multitudes because He didn't want them fainting due to hunger on their way home.
However, if that is our only image of Jesus, it is incomplete. Not necessarily wrong, just not the whole story. There is another side of Jesus, Jesus the strong and mighty. Jesus, the mighty warrior in battle. We simply must not equate strong and mighty with harsh and cruel.
Jesus had to be strong and mighty to put up with the opposition He faced from religious leaders. He had to be strong to overcome the temptations He faced as a man yet He was able to overcome each one.
Jesus had to be strong and mighty to face the prospect of death on the cross. And that also included paying the price for our sins and being separated from God.
Jesus had to be strong and mighty to defeat Satan and take the keys of hell and death. To spoil Satan and make a show of him openly. Strong to fulfill God's plan to the fullest.
Yes, Jesus is strong and mighty, and He is not done. He is the leader of the armies of God in the book of Revelation. He is strong to take His place as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords forever. Regardless of what Hollywood portrays or what others say, Jesus is anything but weak. He is and always will be strong and mighty.
APPLICATION:
Changing the way we see Jesus is a quest we'll be pursuing during our entire lives here on earth. Seeing Jesus as strong and mighty is just another reason we stand in awe of Him, who is our Lord and example.
Because He is strong and mighty and we are connected to Him, we have the potential to be strong and mighty also. As we identify with a strong and mighty Jesus, we get glimpses of His plan for us. As His body, He wants us strong and mighty.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, show me how to honor You by being strong and mighty in You. You are my Lord and my example.