The Kite, by John Newton

The Kite, by John Newton

Once upon a time a paper kite 

mounted to a wondrous height,

Where, giddy with its elevation, 

it thus expressed self admiration:

“See how yon crowds of gazing people 

admire my flight above the steeple;

How they would wonder if they knew 

all that a kite like me could do!

Were I but free, I’d take a flight 

and pierce the clouds beyond their sight;

But, ah, like a poor prisoner bound,

 my string confines me to the ground.

I’d brave the eagle’s towering wing 

might I but fly without a string.”

It tugged and pulled, while thus it spoke, 

to snap the string.

At last it broke.

Deprived at once of all its stay, 

in vain it tried to soar away.

Unable its own weight to bear, 

it fluttered downward through the air.

Unable its own course to guide, 

the winds soon plunged it in the tide.

Ah, foolish kite, thou hadst no wing, 

how couldst thou fly without a string?

Oh, Lord, I see

 how much this kite resembles me!

Forgetful that by Thee I stand, 

impatient of Thy ruling hand;

How oft I’ve wished to break the lines 

Thy wisdom for my lot assigns.

How oft indulged a vain desire

 for something more, or something higher.

But for Thy grace and love divine ,

a fall thus dreadful had been mine!

Become Strong in Faith

"Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power!" So says the apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:10. Very well - but how? Can you decide to just 'be strong'? Can you go to the gymn - see a body builder lifting huge weights and say, "Hmmm, I think I will be strong like him" and then go fourth and lift those weights? The answer is 'no'. At least physically you cannot just be strong. Why? The answer is obvious - if you don't have it, you don't have it!

But is that true spiritually?
Well there are parallels but they don't go very far. So being strong spiritually is similar to being strong physically in that the result is, you are not easily defeated. The strong in competition are not easily beaten. They can stand and prevail where the weak cave in. But that is as far as the paralells go.

Those who are strong in the Lord cannot be easily shaken - or they may be shaken - but not moved. They have the power and strength to overcome and prevail whatever comes against them. They are overcomers, victors!

Paul tells us to be strong. Strong in the Lord so that we can "take our stand" against the devil and His schemes" (Ephesians 6:11). Christian, every day you can be strong, you will have your designated stand that you must take.

Paul goes on in Ephesians 6 to depict a valiant soldier in battle. Think Shammah ...

"But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Phillistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory."
2 Samuel 23:12

Or Eleazer who, in the same chapter stood and fought like Shammah so that "His hand froze to his sword!" (Verse 9).

So Paul tells little, humble, insignificant you and me that we must be like Shammah and Eleazer. God wants you and me to be heroes of faith. He wants you and me to be valiant, mighty warriors.

But how can we? "Who am I?" we may well ask.

Remember Gideon, (Judges 6) he was the least man in the least of God's clans. The equivilent is like being in the smallest and weakest of churches and being the weakest in that church! Gideon had never fought a battle in his life. In fact, he was faced by the enemy countless times, he'd had ample opportunity to take his stand but never did. For years the Mideonites (read enemy) plundered him, his family and people, and Gideon's practice, without fail, was to hide in caves, lurk behind bushes, fearfully and passively watching on while the enemy plundered him, his family and his people! That was Gideon's practise. That was Gideon's history. That was Gideons identity.

What a surprise then when God catches up with him. Of all things, God addresses him thus ...

"The LORD is with you, Mighty warrior" (Judges 6:12)

Mighty warrior! Hardly. Are you having a laugh!

I Love Gideon's immediate reply ...

"Pardon me my Lord".  (Judges 6:13)

He's like, "urmmm, are you to talking to me? Do you know anything about me? You must be confusing me with someone else". But the Lord was not mistaken.

God says to you (and me), "The Lord is with you Julian, Mighty warrior" (You put in your name!) Yes - YOU too!

This is what the Apostle Paul is saying when he says to you and me, "Be strong in the Lord, put on the full armour ... be like Shammar and Eleazer - mighty warriors - now you take your stand in your field".

But How? How can I be a mighty warrior? 

Consider this verse from Psalm 57:3b
"God sends fourth His love and faithfulness".

Just think about that for a moment. God sends fourth His love and faithfulness. Consider that in the light of Shammar above, what does it say? "And the LORD brought about a great victory". Hang on a moment! Where was the Lord when Shammar was wielding his sword and holding up his shield getting covered in blood and sweat, straining, battling for hous on end?

Where is the Lord?

That is a good question to ask. But the scripture is clear. Shammar did the work, but it was the Lord Himself that won the victory. That is what scripture says. But also - although it is clear, the Lord won the victory, it is also clear that credit goes to Shammar who exerted Himself courageously in the battle. Shammar is a mighty warrior! But the Lord sent fourth His love and faithfulness. He poured out his love on His son Shammah and was faithful to Him - faithful in battle and gave him all he needed for victory.

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources

the Father's full love's just begun,

He gives, He gives, He gives, 

limitless love, grace without measure

He gives, He gives, He gives

Abundantly.

And what does Paul say above? Not, "Be strong" but "Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power"

So, we are not to be strong in our "self", but in the Lord!

So we may have no strength - but we place ourselves in His hands, trusting Him - even when it is really hard, even when we are surrounded by things that threaten us, even when fears arise. We hold our nerve - keep faith, keep trusting HIM keep exerting ourselves - He, in His love will be faithful!

Here is how it works.

1) Every day, we begin by coming to God believing we cannot stand without His mighty power. We really cannot.
2) We confess or admit our weakness to Him - perhaps we need to admit it to ourselves too. We really must come to terms with our utter weakness. Yes we can go day after day without meaningfully praying, but all the while our hearts are becoming colder.
3) We must ask Him for strength. "Lord, please help me by giving me all the strength I need, to deal with todays challenges, whatever they may be, give me resolve, give me a spirit to fight and not give in".
4) We then go fourth, bracing ourselves, ready, trusting He is faithful and will absolutely, 100% do it.
5) When the moment comes, temptation, fears etc, we give ourselves fully to the battle. We struggle and strain and resist and stand and fight. Like Eleazer with sword frozen in hand, never giving up we keep fighting. We fight in every situation to be faithful to God, to please Him with out hearts, attitudes, words, deeds, responses. When we have no strength left we keep fighting - never, ever giving up.

As we do that, we will overcome, without fail.

OBJECTION
But if I battle like that, then I did it!

ANSWER
Yes and no. Yes you did. It took all your strength. But even as you exerted yourself and battled, and somehow managed to keep on, even when you had nothing left, the Lord was your strength! When you was fighting, God Himself was at work in your members! That was God! It was His victory and yours.

OBJECTION
But I did'n't feel strong at all, I didn't feel a boost of power or strength at any time.

ANSWER
God gave you all the strength you needed - not more. But if you needed more - He would have given more. In fact, when you think you have nothing left - you could still battle on for hours, days, months, years! Like the widows oil - God will keep supplying! He won't make it easy, but He will give just enough power and strength into your weakness.

He sends fourth His love and His faithfulness.

6) When we have fought the good fight, and look back at the victory, we must give thanks. Admitting, it was because of Him we previaled.

The result is, with all life's battles, all life's knocks, disappointments, discouragements, heart-aches and sorrows, with all that would get us down and make us cynical and despondent, our heart will be at peace, it will be soft, we will be full of faith, we will know great and deep joy and our love will keep on growing. That is the victory!

Our testimony will be, "He does indeed send fourth His love and His faithfulness."

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling

And needing more, each day thy grace to know

Yet from our hearts, a song of triumph peeling

We rest on thee, and in Thy name we go.