Brought To The Place Of Prayer
“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'” 2 Corinthians 12:8,9
In Annie J. Flint’s great hymn, He Giveth More Grace, she writes: “When we have exhausted our store of endurance, When our strength has failed ere the day is half done, When we reach the end of our hoarded resources, Our Father’s full giving is only begun.” Of what does Ms. Flint refer to here? Is she saying that only in times of great need we can, and must find the Father, “…giving, and giving, and giving again?” Or is she speaking to the constant, absolute need of the human heart to fall at Jesus’ feet, and with the plea of faith, call upon Him for His certain intervention in the life, and the circumstances of life? And lastly, has she realized that it is in those moments of greatest peril, danger, extreme need, that the believing soul has a glorious opportunity to prove the grace and mercy of God, and this, because of God’s unchanging faithfulness?
God gave to the Apostle Paul great gifts by which he would be able to communicate the gospel of Christ to the world, both with regard to the Jews, but also, with respect to reaching the Gentile nations for Christ. With his calling came the very solemn words to Ananias concerning Paul: “For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” (Acts 9:16) The knowledge of God, of Christ, and the fulfilling of His will and purpose for every believer is not an easy road to walk. Because of the great, and extensive revelation of Christ to Paul, coupled with his calling and ministry, he would know suffering in great measure. The affliction by the spiritual enemy against him, coupled with the opposition that he faced both from the religious and political powers around him, not neglecting the weight, or burden of the “churches” under his care, caused Paul to know in a very keen, and profound manner, something of the suffering of Christ for the lost, and for His church. Paul’s suffering was nothing compared to that of Christ, but in nature and substance, he was brought in many ways, by the Spirit and circumstances, to recognize that in and of himself, there were no resources sufficient to meet the needs of his own heart, much less those needs of those whom he sought to save, or the church he was committed to edify, or build up. There was added to this spiritual, emotional, and physical suffering, another particular one. Paul calls it ” a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him, to oppose or turn him aside by its effects. Paul prayed that the Lord would remove this, but the Lord responded to Paul in such a way as to open for him a door of deeper fellowship with Him. The Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
‘What was the purpose of this statement? It is first and foremost to reveal that God is sovereign, and that there is no need hidden from His eyes. Christ also reveals by it that the believer has his limits, both physical, emotional, and spiritual. However, the recognition of those finite limits, and the turning of the heart to Christ, makes them doors of opportunity to know Christ in a very remarkable, and discernable manner. So instead of “fighting against God” in striving by one’s “strength” against the impossible need, the believer comes to embrace it, believing God by His immeasurable grace to meet that need in a way that is not only “sufficient” for the need, but enabling the believer to rise above and beyond it, going through it, ever climbing upward. Paul’s application of this is found in his words: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (12:9)
Dear Father, Give us abounding grace to overcome. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
…