The Alpha of Enablement

UV 3011/10000 The Alpha of Enablement
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
I Timothy 1 v 12

St Paul had a complete turn around of his life from being one of the chief persecutors of the followers of Jesus to being one of the chief apostles. In this uni-verse, he acknowledges that it is the exceeding, abundant grace of the Lord Jesus that made it possible. He was a chosen vessel despite his past as the Lord saw that he was faithful and trustworthy, that once his misdirected zeal for the Jewish religion was replaced by knowledge of the Living Saviour Jesus, he would prove to be a most effective and excellent instrument of God.

Grace, then is divine enablement. It is given without measure by the Lord Jesus to the faithful. We only need to obey the call of the Lord and He will invest His grace in us to enable us to do that which He has intended for us. Grace is infinite, unlimited, abundant, sufficient for us to be able to follow and emulate Jesus. The once powerful but defeated and imprisoned Napoleon bemoaned in these famous but tragic words, “Able was I ere I saw Elba.” Military, political, economic, financial, personal power has its limitations but the enablement we receive from Jesus does not fluctuate or ebb. As we empty ourselves of our sense of our own abilities, the Lord will equip us, endow us, anoint us, empower us, enable us. We seek not to display our mettle, talent, strength but to manifest the strength of the Lord. We are therefore, ever humble and grateful to the Lord Jesus who gives us continual access to the throne of the Father, the source of all strength and power in the universe.

St Paul wrote, “ I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.” He no longer relied on religious traditions, on his training or education at the feet of Gamaliel, his knowledge of scriptures, his influence with the High Priests, his privileges as a Roman citizen. He unlearnt his old pride, prejudices, biases. His confidence was not on his background or upbringing but on the moment to moment leading of the Holy Spirit. He was a live wire in the hands of the Lord to conduct His power and grace to humanity. He had no agenda of his own but devoted himself to fulfil the agenda of God- the salvation of humanity.