p. 112 | The Lord Our Strength by Theodore L. Cuyler

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 9, 1882

The Lord Our Strength.

By Theodore L. Cuyler

THE first lesson of childhood is human weakness. The earliest cry of the infant betrays it. At the other end of life we often see a pitiable dotage—such as I encountered lately in the case of a man who was once a luminary of the American pulpit, but now cannot remember the names of his own children. But the weakest side of humanity is its moral side. Colossal intellect is often found lodged in the same person with a conscience of mere pulp. For the sake of morality, I rejoice that Madame de Remusat and Metternich have lately been stripping away the glamour that has hung around that stupendous embodiment of selfishness, Napoleon I. They show us the intellectual giant continually pushed over with a straw. The chief lesson of such a career as Napoleon's is to demonstrate what a contemptible creature man is the moment he cuts loose from God.

One of the chief purposes of our divine religion is to teach man where to find this indispensable element of strength. The Divine word, coming from the very Maker of man, who knows us completely, declares that "he who trusteth in his own heart is a fool." We have no spiritual strength in ourselves. Just as our bodies derive all their strength from the food we eat, and every oak draws its strength from the surrounding earth and air, so our souls obtain all spiritual power from a source outside of us. Psalmist David, whose native weaknesses were deplorably conspicuous, was only strong when in alliance with God. His declaration is: "The Lord is my strength." This is the only strength which the Bible recognizes. Who are the Bible heroes? Men of genius, wits, orators, philosophers? No. They are the Enoch who walked with God, the Joseph who conquered

sensual temptation because God was with him, the Elijah who stood like a granite pillar against the tides of idolatry, and the Daniel who never quailed at the lion's roar. Daniel gives us the secret of his strength in his three-times-a-day interviews with God. The Lord fed his inner soul as the subterranean springs feed a well and keep it full during summer droughts.

God's strength is "made perfect in our weakness." This means that the divine power is most conspicuous when our weakness is the most thoroughly felt. We have got to be emptied first of all self-conceit and self-confidence. A bucket cannot hold air and water at the same time. As the water comes in, the air must go out. The meaning of some hard trials is to get the accursed spirit of self out of our hearts. When we have been emptied of self-trust, we are in the condition to be filled with might in the inner man by the power of the Holy Spirit. When Isaiah felt that he was but a child, and an unclean one at that, he received the touch of celestial fire. Peter had immense confidence in Peter when he boasted of his own strength; but after pride had got its fall, Peter is endued with power from on high, and then the apostle who was frightened by a servant-girl could face a Sanhedrim. A Christian must not only realize his own utter feebleness, but he must give up what worldlings rely on, and admit that "vain is the help of man."

The poor woman who had tried all the doctors in her neighborhood, and only grown worse in body and poorer in purse, is a touching illustration of our invalid souls. She despaired of human help, and comes crouching to the feet of the Son of God. One touch of his garments sends a new tide of health through her veins. Contact with Christ brings currents of the divine power into our souls, so that we can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us. Multitudes have given the triumphant testimony that, under sore pressure, the Lord stood with them and strengthened them. Their testimony has always been: "When I am weak, then am I strong"—i. e., when I get emptied of self-trust, Jesus comes in and strengthens me.

This is the real office of faith. It is simply the linking of our utter weakness to the omnipotence of Christ. We furnish weakness, and he furnishes strength, and that makes the partnership.

Alas! how easily we run dry and how constantly we need replenishment. Yesterday's breakfast will not feed me to-morrow. The Christian who tries to live on the experiences of last year were as insane as if he attempted to work on the food eaten a month ago. Lord, evermore give us this bread! They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; the waste shall be constantly repaired, and the new emergency shall be met with a fresh supply.—Dr. Cuyler.