PAUL AND THE THORN

Part Three; II Cor. 12: 8 - 10


Talk about an up and down life - Paul had it! As soon as he was converted his life was threatened and he was let down over the wall at Damascus in a basket. Later when he was caught up to the third heaven, had to come down to what must have been a lifelong "Thorn in the flesh" experience. In his life there is no even distribution of pain, yet sometimes liabilities and limitations are turned into assets and opportunities. The glory comes through the action of God, but the determining factor as to benefit comes through the attitude of mind and will.


Paul had no question as to the identity of his persecutor or the source of his help. Naturally, he turned to God in prayer, once, then again, apparently without an answer from God. On his third petition the answer came. God said, "I have enough grace for your need." He didn't say that He would remove the thorn.


I may be going into forbidden territory to ask a question, or to make a suggestion. There is an ancient and inevitable law of sowing and reaping. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. In his preconversion days, Saul of Tarsus had persecuted, imprisoned and killed many Christians. We understand his explanation that he did it in ignorance. But was that enough to escape the retribution of reaping? Maybe we had better stick to what we know. And it seems obvious that this "messenger" was sent to counter-balance over his tendency to glory special trip to Paradise.


In addition to the promise of sufficient grace, God told Paul "My grace and my strength are made perfect in your weakness." Paul gladly accepted this trade off and preferred to glory in his infirmity if it was exchanged by the power of Christ.


In both verses 5 and 9 Paul speaks of his glory in infirmities and in verse 10 states that he takes pleasure in infirmities! This is strong medicine, but he does this that the power of Christ may rest upon him. He sets an exceedingly high standard for us. How he does this is partly explained in II Cor. 4:17 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.." The affliction is light in comparison with the glory, and is just for a moment in contrast to eternity. and he is right!


All of us ride on St. Paul's promise of grace sufficient for our needs. It is a universal promise, for God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). Our needs will never exhaust His supply. All that God does for us and in us is a result of that grace. The generic definition of grace is that it is the unmerited favor of God. That is good an far as it goes. The word "unmerited" is employed to state that this is not something owed to us or accomplished by us. It is more than a mere nod from God indication his approval. His grace is a many-faceted term. We speak of justification and sanctification as works of grace.


The promise here of a sufficiency of grace has direct reference to St. Paul's enablement to accept an answer to his petition that is the direct opposite of his request.