Steven Malcolm - The Overflow DevoSample

Vigorous

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines the word vigorous as follows: “full of physical or mental strength or active force”. Vigour is an essential element in all major world religions, including Christianity. However, the key difference between Christianity and all other religions is where the emphasis is placed regarding vigour and how it corresponds to our relationship with our Creator.

Many religious ideologies sadly believe that one’s relationship to God is directly proportionate to the degree of vigour, or strength and active force, that person works with in order to get God’s attention, earn God’s love or calm His wrath. Christianity, on the other hand, is based entirely on the belief that God is the only truly vigorous One. As Christ followers, we believe that we are incapable of mustering enough vigour to un-do the brokenness in us or the un-crossable separation between us and God, both of which were caused by our sin.

The Bible teaches us that God is vigorous. It is with the greatest strength, the most active force, and the purest unrelenting resolve that He pursues us in our sin. Without the vigorous love of God towards us in Jesus we would have no hope.

Romans 5:6-8: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (ESV).

Not only did we need a vigorous God to pursue us in our sin, but we needed a vigorous representative and Savior to come and obey and receive judgement in our place. Jesus is the vigorous Savior. Jesus is the vivid expression of God’s vigorous love towards us in human flesh. Because Jesus pursued God the Father’s will with great vigour, He not only remained sinless for us, but He also did not throw in the towel when the going got tough.

Jesus, with utmost vigour, stared separation with God and the sins of the world in the face at the cross. Though Jesus experienced tremendous terror and unthinkable physical and spiritual pain, He never once stepped outside of the will of the Father. Isaiah 53:10 states that “It was the will of the Father to crush Him (Jesus)”. But why? It’s because God loved us so much, that He would sacrifice and punish His only Son, so that Christ followers could escape punishment and eternally receive ONLY and ALWAYS His love. This is the rigorousness of God’s love displayed in the gospel and cross of Jesus Christ.

To make things better, God doesn’t expect us to now be perfectly vigorous in our pursuit of Him or Godly living. God actually invites us to fully embrace our lack of vigour and lean into His vigour and power offered to us through His Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 12:9: [9]...“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (ESV).

God’s vigour is available to Christ followers always, because of Jesus, through HIs Spirit. God’s love was vigorous so He sent Jesus. Jesus was the One who obeyed and suffered in our place with perfect vigour. So that we can give obedience our best shot and still receive only love when we fail, without fail, so swing away today!