2/14- Declaring God’s Glory in Sickness- 2 Corinthians
12:8-10
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Thoughts: "In sickness and in health" is one of the vows we make when we get married. Love, you see, is not just a feeling- or a "what's in it for me" self-fulfilling quest. Love involves the will, it as Paul says "never fails." On this Valentine's Day when so many think of love these days as simply non-committal sexuality, we might remember "in sickness and in health." What this means is when we are down the one who loves us doesn't leave. It also means trust and reliability. It is the way God loves us- in sickness and in health. In fact, Christ came to us when we were spiritually sick to help us. He not only forgave sins- but healed the sick (the two are often related).
Yet, even when we are not healed of our problems, Christ is a help. That is what Paul is saying here. He found God to be there for Him in the tough times of sickness. Paul had some "thorn in the flesh" from which he asked healing over and over and over but it was denied. What Paul found was that He could rely on God's love even when Paul was not made well. Paul even was able to declare God's glory and power in the midst of his sickness. When Christians face trials it often brings the eyes of non-believers upon us- wondering if our faith helps us. When we find strength in God and rely on His power, then we are indeed declaring God's glory. Paul was determined to love God "in sickness and in health" too. Too many leave God when He doesn't answer prayers the way they want Him to. Pray that your love will be true, not fickle or conditional.
Yet, even when we are not healed of our problems, Christ is a help. That is what Paul is saying here. He found God to be there for Him in the tough times of sickness. Paul had some "thorn in the flesh" from which he asked healing over and over and over but it was denied. What Paul found was that He could rely on God's love even when Paul was not made well. Paul even was able to declare God's glory and power in the midst of his sickness. When Christians face trials it often brings the eyes of non-believers upon us- wondering if our faith helps us. When we find strength in God and rely on His power, then we are indeed declaring God's glory. Paul was determined to love God "in sickness and in health" too. Too many leave God when He doesn't answer prayers the way they want Him to. Pray that your love will be true, not fickle or conditional.
Prayer: Lord, may my love for you be true in sickness and in health- in good times and in bad. May I rest and find strength in your great love.
(Jesus heals blind man who testified (declared) (Jn. 9) "I once was blind but now I see." Many scholars feel Paul's thorn in the flesh was his poor eyesight. Paul was not healed but still declared God's glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment