“Bridges don’t just collapse in Minnesota.” That’s what I remember an official exclaiming after the 35W bridge collapse on August 1, 2007. You probably remember where you were when the bridge collapsed and fell into the river. You also probably remember how many times you and your loved ones crossed that bridge without a thought or care in the world. How could this bridge just collapse in the middle of the day, killing 13 people and injuring over 100 others? I have to admit that at the time, I wondered if foul play was involved. And yet… as investigators later discovered, a mistake in the bridge’s construction 40 years earlier caused the collapse. A gusset plate was too thin.
Preliminary reports suggest that a similar structural error – or maybe deferred maintenance -- caused the terrible collapse of the Florida condo building in June. Unfortunately, this time the disaster happened in the middle of the night when people were sleeping – caught completely unawares. We still do not know how many people died that night.
What can we depend on when the very ground beneath our feet starts to shake? Whom can we trust when our health, our work, our security, everything that we thought we could count on - fails?
Paul turned to God. He prayed. He prayed because he was hurting and was confident that God could solve this problem. After all, he was chosen by Jesus to bring the message of Good News to the Gentiles. He had been transformed by Christ. He doesn’t want to boast but clearly he was a powerful preacher, a strong teacher and an amazing missionary to the world. Why wouldn’t God answer his prayer?
But God was silent. So Paul prayed again and again for God to take away this pain – he called it a thorn in his side, a messenger from Satan. We don’t know what it was – maybe it was a health issue or a physical pain, or maybe even a person who was undermining his work. But whatever this thorn was, it was painful and Paul begged the Lord to take it away.
But instead of healing him, Paul received this message from the Lord, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."
It wasn’t the answer that Paul wanted to hear. It’s not the message I like to hear either. We want to be strong. We want to feel powerful. We don’t like being vulnerable or weak or dependent. But this is the message that Paul – and we – need to hear.
Paul learned – rather painfully-- that he was strongest – not when he relied on his great oratory powers or his own persuasiveness, but rather when he leaned upon the grace of God and let the power of God shine through him. And so are we.
It’s not an easy answer. We want to be strong, independent and powerful. But God’s response to Paul – and I dare say to us -- is: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."
I know this may seem like a funny message for the 4th of July. This is a day for celebration! This is a day in which I, for one, give thanks to God that I live in a country that is free – free for me and you to speak, to pray, to love, and to vote.
I recognize that if I had lived a hundred years ago in this country - I would not be able to preach to you. I would not be able to vote. I also recognize that people in other countries do not have the freedoms that you and I have – and that we sometimes take for granted. Freedom is a gift to not only be treasured but it is a gift to share. For you and I are most free when everyone else is free too.
So let us celebrate the gift of freedom. But let us not only celebrate freedom and advocate for others to have freedom too, but let us also remember that the freedom of a Christian is made perfect – not in human power and might -- but in Christ. And, our freedom, as Christians, is focused not on ourselves but on our neighbor. As Luther says, we are free to love and serve our neighbor.
Like Paul, we are strongest when we realize that our own power or strength or wisdom is not sufficient. We are most powerful when we are vulnerable and depend upon God’s power and not our own. So when you are feeling weak and helpless, rest in the assurance of these words "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." For when we lean into God’s grace and mercy, that is when we are our best selves.
Today, let us give thanks to God for the freedom we enjoy and the blessings we can share. But let us even more give thanks for God’s love which knows no bounds and God’s grace which makes us whole.
July 4, 2021 Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran Church Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane