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Three times I appealed to the Lord about this [thorn in the flesh], that it would leave me... |
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This Sunday we come to that passage in Paul's Letter to the Corinthians where he talks about his "thorn in the flesh."
What that thorn was (and there's been lots of speculation) is less important than what Paul has to say to us about weakness. First he says that the thorn was given to him in order to keep him from becoming too proud. (What do you make of that, by the way?) Next he says that he asked the Lord three times to take away the thorn. And then he reports that God replied to his requests in this way:
...but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."
Last Sunday we saw two very weak, powerless people healed, restored, by the hand of Jesus. And, you might recall, I asked you to carry over that picture of weakness into this week's reading from Paul.
After you carefully read the Scripture for Sunday (especially the 2 Corinthians passage) ask these questions:
Whose grace are we talking about?
Whose power?
And whose weakness?
One more thing (and it's a really important thing): Mediate on the word "dwell" in the last half of verse 9. What does dwell mean?
Love you and see you Sunday...
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