When I Am Weak, I Am Strong

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 Have you been following the Artemis II mission this week? This is NASA's first crewed mission to the moon in over 50 years, and the images are enthralling and captivating. This crew will be the first to travel the farthest distance from Earth. During the pass around the moon, the crew discovered that there were two unnamed craters on the surface, and they decided to name one of them after the late wife of Commander Reid Wiseman. Carroll Wiseman died of cancer in 2020 at the age of 46. Jeremy Hansen, the specialist in the crew, announced over the transmission, "It's a bright spot on the moon, and we'd like to call it Carroll." Commander Wiseman teared up, and the crew came together for a group hug. It was a moving image and an emotional moment. The juxtaposition is intriguing. A precisely coordinated mission launching four humans to the moon, traveling over 250,000 miles from Earth at 25,000 mph, yet pausing for a deeply human moment. As a society, power and control seem to be in the forefront as the means to attaining success and human triumph. Yet, the vulnerability of the commander's tears at the crew's gesture towards his wife was poignant for a science mission. We get from society a subtle dose of adages and tropes like "Real men don't cry. Break the glass ceiling. Whoever has the most toys wins." All of these imply that power and strength look tough, strong, and about status. But one of the most powerful moments of this historic rocket launch was sharing a tender moment together by four of the most courageous humans on Earth. NASA's achievements and the ache of humanity have a lot in common. We just journeyed through Holy Week, and the contrast of power and weakness was not a rocket and hugs; it was God's full display of true power: washing feet while challenging religious hypocrisy; breaking bread and passing the cup while praying with sweats that were drops of blood; healing the ear cut off while taking on a Roman scourging; dying on a cross and rising again three days later. In God's kingdom, power can be weakness, and weakness can be power. The most powerful being in the universe became vulnerable and weak so we can have forgiveness. This is our God. With Christ as our Savior, our weaknesses are not flaws. They can be the way God's grace prevails in us as we finally yield to being vulnerable before God. Our strength is surrendering to Christ so that His power is at work in us. So we put our guards down. We draw close to God who draws close to us (James 4:8). We live well-planned lives, but we offer ourselves to God to become what He desires. Pastor Jason Ko