Standing Firm in Power – Resurrection Power

Next weekend is bookmarked by Easter on the front end and a federal election in Canada, on the other.

Based on the press, you might think that our human leaders hold the highest seats of power, and that the greater event is a federal election. We look to politicians to save us, our country, and our lifestyles. Our hearts rise and sink with the polls.

Political Power

I appreciate the perspective that recording artist Paul Demers brings to this topic of power as he sings Psalm 146, under the title, “Do Not Pray to Politicians.” The Psalm and the song present a God whose power upholds the cause of the oppressed, lifts the lowly, gives food to the hungry, watches over the foreigner, and sustains the widow and orphan. How about that for a platform?

What if we looked away from the press, to the One who rose from the dead at Easter to save us, rather than our preferred brand of politician? What if resurrection power was more potent than political power? We might have to re-think what it means to possess true power.

Easter Power

Philippians, chapter 2, describes Jesus as being in very nature God, yet taking on the nature of a servant. Instead of running for office, he stumbled under the weight of a cross. He exchanged a heavenly throne for a death sentence, reserved for the accursed. In the wildest of paradoxes, Jesus was crucified, a form of death that was reserved for the worst of criminals and intended to be a source of extreme humiliation.

This is the Saviour we celebrate this Easter weekend – the humble, crucified one. Nobody had the power to take his life, so he gave it away. The one who created all things, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities (Colossians 1:16), subjected himself to unrighteous rule, for our sakes. The gospel writers, Matthew (26:36-46), Mark (14:32-42) and Luke (22:39-46) all recorded the extreme human anguish the divine Lord of heaven willingly suffered preceding his wrongful death, on our behalf.

Spiritual Power

When the Apostle Paul calls us to “be completely humble” in Ephesians 4:2 (NIV), he is calling us to imitate this Christ-power. And not just imitate it, but to be strengthened and empowered through the Spirit, in our inner being (Ephesians 3:16), for living sacrificially under our own unrighteous rule. The power of Christ is one that he longs to give away. To you. To me.

We give power to elected officials, but a relationship with God changes the power dynamic – God gives power to us. God-given power provides strength and hope to navigate and stand firm in the inevitable disappointments and struggles we face throughout our lives.

This is the foundation for inSPIRE. We find inner strength through faith in the Resurrected One. Our power is an upside-down resurrection power!

Find out more by joining us at our inSPIRE Rocky Mountain Retreat, May 22-25 (registration closes April 16th).

Resurrection Power

Meanwhile, I pray that as we look to Easter, we will embrace the resurrection power of God in ways that prepare us to be citizens of both heaven and earth.

May the Christ of Easter be your Saviour, source of strength, and the lifter of your soul in turbulent political and personal times. May your media posts and your life point people to Jesus. He is the true power and the One that the world needs now more than ever.