Stir up Thy Power, O Lord

For those of you who have been around Christian music for a few years you will remember the song El Shaddai which was made famous by Amy Grant.  Michael Card, one of my favorite writers and musicians, wrote that song about the unique power of God.   From Abraham to the cross, Card chronicles the displays of God’s power in his song.  He speaks of the power of God on display in the salvation of Isaac and the deliverance of a nation as God parted the Red Sea.  But in the song Card rightly crescendos with the most awesome display of God’s power in what He did through frailty:  the incarnate Son of God who would surrender Himself to flesh.  The Almighty God would hide His power so that He might use His power to save us.    



Frailty and power are not normally put together.  By definition frailty means something that is infirm or weak.  Since when are infirm and weak synonyms of power?  How does God take surrender and death and turn them into deliverance?  God once said, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord.” (Is. 55:8).  El Shaddai emptied Himself and took on the form of a man.  El Shaddai became a servant to the very people He created.  El Shaddai became man so that man might one day reside with God.  So God tells us that frailty is power.  Meekness is power.  Surrender is power.  Submission is power. 



During this advent season we anticipate the coming of God.  As we pray for His arrival we long for His power to be seen.  We long for El Shaddai to demonstrate His strength once again.  But like His first incarnation He will come in ways unsuspected; He will reveal His wisdom in ways that confound our logic.  Why?  Because He is El Shaddai, the Almighty God whose ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.  The nativity is God’s message to the world, “I will come in power, but without faith you just might miss Me.” 



“Stir up Thy power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let Thy bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the Almighty God, stir up Thy power once again and give us eyes to see it.”



For those who are now singing the song, enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuXB1a3NBCw



For the purist that prefer Michael Card’s version: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dorEYyfuUQ