Embrace your weakness
Sami, my terrier and Golli, my shih-tzu, were walking me in our neighborhood yesterday, when we were charged by two large black laboradors. I felt we were being attacked. There I was, in the middle of four angry dogs, tangled by their leashes, trying to lift my 12 lb. “puppy” up so she wouldn’t get hurt, while my 40 lb. terrier bared his teeth and snapped at two huge aggressive dogs. My shouting “stop” had no effect. While it felt like an hour that I was in this fearful position, the owner showed up within minutes, and called her dogs off. I left the scene trembling, and broke down in tears. My human fearfulness, my personal fragility, hit me smack in the face.
I hate my fragility. I hate it that I get scared and angry. I hate feeling helpless.
With my legs shaking, and my tears lingering, I prayed my way home. I sobbed to the LORD and asked Him to calm me down. And I wondered why this awful moment had to happen.
This morning He brought this verse to mind: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”(2 Cor. 12:9). I read this promise: The Spirit helps us in our weakness. (Roms. 8:26) I surely needed that help last evening. And the Lord did calm me down and protected the dogs and me from injury.
But what does the verb “help” really mean? I want to fully comprehend how I can “delight in my weaknesses.” How can I be glad I am so fragile, so human?
The Greek word, in Romans 8:26, is a compound word synantilambanomai. (pronounced sin-anti-lamb-bane’-o-my) This word is a powerful word picture. The root of it, lambano, means to take someone by the hand and carry her, as a companion or attendant. We add to it syn, simply “along with”, and anti, “in the place of”.
The picture is this: The Holy Spirit reaching out for my hand and carrying me away. He becomes my companion, taking the place by my side as my servant. His purpose is to help me with whatever I need at that moment.
In order for me to experience this extraordinary closeness to the Almighty God, I had to be thrown onto my own weakness, or I would not have thought to call out to my LORD. I hate to admit it, but while I was in panic mode, all I remember was shouting “stop”. I don’t remember calling on Jesus, until we walked away. Yet, because of that moment of fear, confusion, helplessness, I have experienced a special moment of the Holy Spirit helping me. He did protect us, calm us, and share with me a fuller picture of His love for me.