Inadequacy

Okay, I'll just put it out there. I feel really inadequate right now. How in the world can I expect to be the father, even just a decent one, to four boys? It doesn't make sense that God would be willing to entrust four young men to my guidance. To those of you who are tempted to dash in and encourage me at this moment, hold off for a minute or two. For those of you who are laughing because you heard that my father in a moment of aggravation wished upon me the blessing of six sons, as he put it, just like me, you need to just take a deep breath. For that matter, what in the world was God thinking when he sent me to Africa to be a missionary. I know that several of you wonder that also. Inadequate, weak, incabable are all descriptors that hit us at one time or another, sometimes all at once. A friend of mine pointed out to me several years ago that he thought Samson was probably a pretty whimpy looking dude who we would want to name Poindexter and try to give him a wedgie. That's probably why the Philistines messed with him so much. He said that God would have done this to show that the strength wasn't from the man, but the Spirit in the man. I'm encouraged already for the seemingly unstoppable, fearless, and"super" apostle Paul had moments of considering himself inadequate and weak as well (I Corinthians 2:3). Yet, he found that God's power is made perfect in his weakness, for in that weakness we lean not on ourselves but on God, therefore becoming adequately strong and capable. (II Corinthians 12:8,9) So here I am, delighting in my weaknesses, knowing that Christ's power is sufficient to bless these four sons as well as use me to bring light into the darkness of Togo. On a sad note, my wife just brought me to the realization that I exceeded my ten minutes to muse twenty minutes ago.