It Is Beyond My Power To Do This (But God...)

“It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.” [Genesis 41.16] 

I want to focus on the statement, “It is beyond my power to do this...”

In our day and time, especially here in the USA, we consider very few things beyond our power. With enough time and money, Advanced American culture and ingenuity have made us confident that all our efforts and expenditures have "paid off" making virtually nothing impossible to us. The highly developed industries of debt, insurance, medicine and technology are all proof of this.

The more man has "developed," the less he recognizes, "It is beyond my power to do this." Consequently, the more idolatry becomes the very fabric of society - our society.

People in this advanced society (so-called "Christians" alike) mindlessly turn to the abovementioned idols giving nary a thought about God. The only difference for "Christians" is that they mockingly credit God for giving these advancements not realizing in so doing they are in flagrant violation of the 3rd Commandment:

“You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.7]

Mary and Martha come to mind in the setting of the death of their brother, Lazarus (John 11.1-44). They both displayed their human understanding of the finality of death, but also an all-too-recognizable "religious" understanding of God's Word. When human physical understanding concludes there is "nothing more that can be done" and human religious understanding consolingly and powerlessly says, "He will rise again at the last day," both the physical understanding and the religious understanding have become idols neglecting, unlike Joseph, to say, "But God..."

To say, "But God..." is to revert to the 1st Commandment - to God who defined "possibility" in the creation of the world.

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. [Exodus 20.2-3]

In contrast, to say. "But we all know..." followed by some emotional religious babble like Martha and Mary spouted off puts us (by virtue of the idolatrous "we know" part) in violation of the 2nd Commandment:

“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. [Exodus 20.4-6]

Putting what we know above what God says is idolatry. It leads us to trust ourselves instead of God. Powerless religion leads the charge in this idolatry. Our knowledge betrays us every time unless we genuinely fail to see every situation as Joseph saw it: “It is beyond my power to do this...” followed by, "But God..."

We MUST remember that when Joseph said, "But God..." he had just come in from a two-year stint in prison! Joseph spoke God's truth even though he was doing so from the position and experience of suffering himself. In other words, Joseph's "experience" up to that point did not limit what God was about to do. Let that soak in. Faith that pleases God is not dependent upon any man's experience of it.

As I write this, I am in bed with a nasty cold. I should, like Joseph, be disqualified from making bold faith statements like, "But God..." however, I continue to write. I write because God's Word is true and every man is a liar, regardless of my circumstances. It is beyond my power to heal myself. This seems a good place to start. Along with this statement, I would be amiss however if I failed to recognize it is beyond man's power to heal me as well (regardless of man's claims). Only when I genuinely and truly believe these two statements am I in the position to say, "But God..." Otherwise I am hopelessly flailing about in the pit of idolatry to myself and man's ways.

It is a good thing Jesus came along, right? Contrary to what most people think however, Jesus did not relieve us of the responsibility of giving up on the way and ways of man...

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)] 

When I give up my own way, I am declaring, "It is beyond my power to do this..." Furthermore, I am saying, "I can't do it - man can't do it."

When I take up (embrace) my cross (death itself), I am declaring, "But God...!"

Father, Your Word is so deep. It truly is beyond my power to understand it. "But God..." by Your Holy Spirit presence within me, You are shining light where my feet have often trod in reading and re-reading Your Word as Jesus declared (John 14.26). You are illuminating the darkness of gross idolatry all around us reminding us that Jesus is the ONLY Way and that if we wish to be His follower, we must give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him. Thank You and, so be it!