“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvellous glory and excellence.”
2 Peter 1:3 NLT
In the bustling chaos of our daily lives, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and drained. We often find ourselves juggling responsibilities, navigating challenges, and seeking fulfilment in a world that constantly demands more. Peter tantalisingly gives us the thought that regardless of how are lives are proceeding, it is possible to live a Godly life, because all the power we need is in God. It’s a power not constrained by our human limitations but one that encompasses everything we need for life and godliness. This divine empowerment isn’t arbitrary – God doesn’t sit on His throne with a sweety bag, throwing out handfuls of granny sookers at random – the availability of His Power is intricately related to our knowledge of God. As we delve into the depths of understanding Him, we unlock the reservoir of His power available to us.
The divine power available to us pilgrims isn’t limited to a specific area. It applies to every facet of our existence. From navigating relationships to overcoming personal struggles, the power we can access in God is available to us and covers the entirety of life’s spectrum. But what is this power? Paul wrote about it in Ephesians 1:19-20, “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honour at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms“.
So how can we access this limitless source of divine power? It is obviously a power that is far greater than anything we could imagine. And we know that from Ephesians 3:20, that His power is within us, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think“. Enticingly, we can do much with this power – the limitation seems to be our willingness to dream, to ask God, to believe that He is who He says He is, and wants to work much through our lives. This Divine resource comes from a deep, intimate knowledge of God that opens the floodgates of His power. This knowledge involves seeking Him through prayer, studying His Word, and cultivating a relationship that goes beyond surface-level understanding.
For a moment let us journey back to Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth“. Then look at verses 3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24, and 26. They all start with “Then God said…”. How much power did that take? Our amazing God spoke and something happened that was far beyond anything we can get our minds around. That’s divine power. In Romans 8:11 we read, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you“. That’s divine power. In Matthew 14 is the account of the feeding of the 5,000. We read, “Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!” (Matthew 14:19-21). That’s divine power. And we can look at other Bible events and see the manifestations of God’s power, events often far beyond the ability of the authors to articulate what really happened.
We pilgrims can do great works ourselves because Jesus said so. We read what He said in John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father“. So is it too much to believe that God’s power is sufficient for “everything we need for living a godly life”? But we worry and fret. We’re anxious about the next pay check. We take our eyes off our God with all His resources of divine power. But no more. On our knees today we ask for His forgiveness and hold out our hands in supplication, in the knowledge that he wants to provide for His children. Through faith, all we need is available to us.
Dear Father. Thank You for Your provision, Your resources, Your limitless power. Please help us to tap into what we need day by day, and we ask that You keep us close to You. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 