My dad's brother, Uncle Alonzo, was one of the strongest men I ever knew.  He was a mason, working with stone all day long, picking it up and carrying it to various parts of the job site along with loads of concrete.  As a result of such strenuous and laborious work, he had arms that looked like Popeye's.  I remember whenever Uncle Alonzo would visit, he would lay flat on his back with his hands overhead.  I would stand on his hands and at the age of nine or ten, he would lift me up over his chest while I balanced myself.  I thought my uncle to be a mighty man!

King Jotham was also a mighty man, not because he was a mason, but because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.  How did he do this?  He did what the Lord said to do rather than follow the ways of the evil kings before him.  Unlike his father, who became a leper for burning incense in the temple, Jotham was obedient to the ways of the Lord.  Notice, it says that Jotham followed the ways of his God.  In other words, he knew God personally, he knew Him well enough to know what He wanted him to do.

If we want to be mighty men and women of God, we must be attentive to what He tells us to do.  We must know Him well enough to know how he wants us to prepare for the various things we go through, and the decisions that we need to make.  If we are not sure what that looks like, we must look to His word, seek to know Him and then wait until things become clear. You may be waiting for some specific direction from the Lord.  Go ahead and start making preparations, making sure that those preparations line up with the word of God.  Then, as it says in Proverbs 16:9, let God direct your steps.  He will make it clear and as a result you will have found yourself to be mighty, just like Jotham.

Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit who always reminds us that it is not by our power and might that we accomplish anything but rather by Your power. Help us to be attentive to the things you are telling us to do, rather than what we want to do.  Help us to be mighty men and women of God. In Jesus name...Amen.

Let the Lord be strong in you this week and may you be more determined than ever to prepare your ways before him!

Mighty in Jesus,

Pastor Ron