If you’ve been following our blog, you’ll probably notice that four of the recurring words in every post are: strength, peace, joy and hope. S, p, j and h.

None of those big four come from within us. Between Annie and I, we couldn’t even muster up enough of them to make it through just one hour of just one day. This might disappoint some of you alpha-male types, but I am more worrier than warrior. By myself, I am easily overwhelmed when difficulties come. I don’t have a naturally thick skin or a large pool of God-given natural abilities and resources for coping with difficulties and problems…

…but I am not upset about that. I delight in what the Apostle Paul writes:

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:10

I have a great God, and due to my natural weaknesses, I arrive much quicker at that realisation and get a head-start on supernaturally receiving from and ceaselessly rejoicing in Him.

Behind our s, p, j and h is a man named Jesus who walked on this earth 2,000 years ago. He was crucified on a cross but three days later He defeated the grave and death and rose again because He is not just a man; He is the Son of God and His death was not ultimately the result of an accident, of physical weakness or gross injustice by the Roman and Jewish authorities. His death was God’s means of dealing with the source of all our weaknesses: our sin. The sin that every boy, girl, man and woman, young and old, rich and poor, lame and strong, foolish and wise alike are cursed with. In His weakest hour He conquered our greatest weakness and now we can find s,p,j and h by turning to Him and making Him Lord and King of our lives.

If you have read the theme article of this blog (Broken Chariots) then you’ll understand that Jesus Christ is our great ‘Ch’ that will never fail. And that gives Annie and I all the s,p, j and h that we will ever need.

Here are a couple of videos to celebrate that fact. The first features us cousins singing at Natania and Dan’s apartment in France, Christmas 2009 and the other features a preacher (that rhymes!) by the name of Dr. SM Lockeridge. I don’t know who he is, but I certainly know the guy he shouts about!

I hope that He is your Lord and King, R&A