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GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT
THURSDAY, MARCH 19
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Psalm 23:1
 
“My grace is sufficient for thee …”
 
GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT
 
God manifests His grace (i.e. unmerited favour) in several ways. First, He grants us salvation grace by redeeming us from our sin through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Eph 2:8-10). Second, He continues to provide us with daily bread, so that we may live from day to day for His glory (Matt 6:11, 33). Third, He distributes to His children specific spiritual gifts that they may use these gifts to build up the church (Eph 4:8-16).
 
The Lord did not remove Paul’s thorn in the flesh, but simply stated that His grace was sufficient for Paul. Here, the term “grace” refers to the divine favour of God in helping Paul to fulfil his service to God as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. God wanted Paul to learn that the way to success in the ministry was by an unceasing dependence upon Christ and His Word. He must never allow himself to be puffed up, to think that he was worth anything outside of Christ Jesus. On the other hand, if he continued to walk with Christ and seek His help, Christ would help him to overcome all difficulties including his thorn in the flesh.
 
Paul concluded in 2 Corinthians 12:10 that when he was weak, then was he strong. Paul accepted the thorn in the flesh without any complaint or dissent. He understood that his weakness (i.e. the thorn in the flesh) enabled others to see how it was Christ who was operating in him to accomplish things. If Paul’s weakness brought glory to God, he would gladly bear it.
 
The passage today also thus instructs us on the cooperative will of God (see devotion of January 22). The promise of God’s help as we serve Him does not mean an absence of trials and challenges. However, God will see us through these difficulties. All we need to do is trust in Him and walk in the Spirit, and there will be no lack of resources to accomplish His will. The cooperative will, rightly understood, leads to great encouragement for the suffering saint. There is no want for the Christian who follows his good Shepherd!
 
THOUGHT: What does the cooperative will teach me about service?
PRAYER: Father, may I rely on Thy grace each day as I serve Thee.

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