A Psalm for Today: Psalms 44:3

For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them. Psalms 44:3

Israel was not a powerful nation. God chooses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. There was no way in the natural for Israel to defeat the powerful peoples in Canaan. He uses the weak to humble the strong. Israel was not chosen for reason of their strength; it was the sovereignty of God. He likes to show forth His power in the weak, so that everyone will know that it is He who has done it. Salvation is like that. If it could be earned or deserved it would not be a gift of grace. If it were of our own hand by your works, we could boast in it. We are unable to save ourselves; it is only through faith in the finished work of Christ that we are saved by His grace. We could not earn it, nor did we deserve it. If we could have done it ourselves God would need to apologize to His Son, for His suffering would have been unnecessary. I learned a long time ago that apart from God I am nothing and can do nothing, but through Him I can do all things. Paul said that when he was weak, then he was strong for God's power was perfected in weakness. Your strength is not determined by your emotional strength, physical stamina, or how much weight you can lift; it is determined by the one in whom you have placed Your trust.