In his famous painting titled A Helping Hand, Emile Renouf depicted an old fisherman seated in a boat, with a young girl beside him.  Both the elderly gentleman and the child have their hands on the huge oar.  The fisherman is looking down fondly and admiringly at the girl.

Apparently the man has told the child that she may assist him in rowing the boat, and in her desire to help she feels as though she is doing a great share of the task.  However, it’s obvious that it’s his strong, muscular arms that are moving the heavy oar through the water.

I see a parable in this painting.  Christ has granted to us the privilege of sharing in His work here on earth.  We must never forget, however, that we cannot perform our tasks through our abilities alone, but only as God works in and through us.  While He directs us to put our hand on the oar, we must ever be aware of the ultimate source of our power.  He is the strength of our life!  There can be no true progress spiritually without the power of the Holy Spirt to undergird (to support or strengthen from beneath) our life and all that we do.

 Let’s recognize our own weakness and echo the cry of Psalm 71:16 – “I will go in the strength of the Lord God.”  Then we will not faint nor fail.

God grant me the strength of heart,             

of motive, and of will,

to do my part and falter not

your purpose to fulfill.

 For our greatest weakness may be our failure

to rely on God’s strength.

Amen