Monday, April 30, 2018

Using Alpha Power to Be the Best

UV 2934/10000 Using Alpha Power to Be the Best
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest
Ecclesiastes 9 v 10

In terms of human competition, man is always trying to beat the best but this uni-verse states that it is sufficient to be and do one’s best. Our competition is with ourselves not with others. We are called to be our best for it says, whatever your hand finds to do, “ do it with thy might.” Of course, when we do things in this spirit or attitude, we also have access to the might of God, the Alpha power of Christ embedded in His word, released by the Spirit of God, incorporated in what we do and what we are. Scripture also says, “whatever we do, do it in the name of the Lord,” “ whatever we do, do it to glorify God” even if it is something as basic or simple as eating and drinking. No one is perfect except the Lord but it does not excuse us from trying to be perfect like Him.

The uni-verse states in a negative fashion that we need to work with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, we need to plan carefully, enhance our knowledge consistently and diligently as otherwise we would be cutting with a blunt knife and above all, be wise. Wisdom is exercised primarily in the way we think, behave, make choices, react and act. Someone I heard once put it cleverly in what he called a 5-4-3 formula- Think-Plan- Act. Even God planned carefully, systematically and sequentially, the work of creation. He did not create all creatures at one go, but step by step, day by day till He reached the crowning point of creation- creating the human in His image. God did not create man in His image to loose him to the enemy. He therefore, thought, planned and provided for man’s redemption. He sent of His own Being- Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, the model of the perfect human. God planned and worked to win, not to loose. We too should run to win with our focus on the Author (Alpha) and Finisher (Omega) of our faith, our focus on the prize of the imperishable crown of eternal life. What God has purposed for us, we need to plan, having planned, we need to work the plan till its fruition or completion.

Another translation of the above uni-verse is : be the best you can be for Jesus in whatever place you are called to live in , whatever field you are called to work in. Another synonym of Alpha power is “grace.” The Lord will give us grace to succeed. We are not in a rat race to prove we are the best as the winner takes all but we are in the race of grace wherein we live and work for a higher purpose than the mere satisfaction of our needs or our greed. We have a calling higher than our earthly professions. Whatever talent the Lord has given us in any area, we should sow it, multiply the fruit for His glory. Whatever ability we lack or are deficient in, we obtain by grace to utilise for His glory. Nothing is accidental and every worldly blessing is purely incidental to the outpouring of His grace and not the object of our pursuit, not the purpose of our relentless efforts. We take nothing for granted and use everything He granted for the larger and higher purpose He has called us to.
Prateep V Philip

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