As Your Days, So Shall Your Strength Be

On Thursday, November 9, 2023 the Malawi Government through its central bank, the Reserve Bank of Malawi, devalued the value of the Malawi currency, the Kwacha, against the US Dollar with 44%. One major impact of this move was the immediate increase of the inflation rate of food items from 36.8 as recorded in September 2023 by National Statistical Office . There is fear and panic for many Malawians who most of them live from hand to mouth. Yesterday, November 10, 2023, I sent this brief note of encouragement to the members of my church family, Christ Presbyterian Church, Blantyre.

Dear my beloved church family,

I am sitting in my study after a long day which most part of it included hearing the fears of many for the future as the economic situation in our country continues not to inspire much hope. I thought of writing this quick note to you beloved people of God. It could be that you are also scared of what the future holds for you and your loved ones. Maybe you are despairing of life itself as Paul would say in 2 Corinthians 1:18.

One verse that is lingering in my mind as I finish my day is God’s own promise to us his people in Deuteronomy 33:25. Moses is about to enter the glory of his Lord, so he blesses all the twelve tribes of Israel. When he comes to the tribe of Asher, he blesses it and says, “Your bars shall be iron and bronze, and as your days, so shall your strength be.” My main focus is on the last part of the verse“as your days, so shall your strength be.”

The Lord promises to supply us with strength (grace) for each day he gives us. We can count on this promise for it is coming from the one who neither changes nor lies. The key thing to notice well is that this grace will be available as each day comes. In the midst of difficult economic times like these ones, if you are like me, you want to receive the grace for today and tomorrow and even next week today. But the Lord never supplies tomorrow’s grace today. His mercies are new every morning. He gives grace every day in a fresh way.

So beloved people of God may this promise be your encouragement and comfort if you are getting anxious about tomorrow in these hard economic times. Let us continue to draw close to Christ, work honestly with our hands, and trust our God through Christ to supply us with strength or grace to go through each day. As the great African theologian St. Augustine once observed, “Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence.” May we all do that. Also, to borrow the words of the hymn writer:

“Afflicted saint, to Christ draw near,
Your Savior’s gracious promise hear;
His faithful Word you can believe:
That as your days your strength shall be.

So, sing with joy, afflicted one;
The battle’s fierce, but the victory’s won!
God shall supply all that you need;
Yes, as your days your strength shall be.”

Good night, beloved saints! May the Lord bless and keep you and continue to make his face shine upon you in Christ.