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"I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses—though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:1-10 ESV)
Poor Paul! He sounds like he's babbling, almost like Ezekiel when God's glory appeared to him—and for the same reason. Seeing God's glory tends to shut down human brains and tongues. We're not really built for it—not yet, anyway. And so Paul stops trying to describe the indescribable and turns with relief to something a lot easier to explain—the "thorn in the flesh" God allowed to come into his life.
Scholars argue about what exactly it was—bad eyesight? Irritable bowel syndrome? Some horrible disease? It doesn't really matter. I think we all recognize the concept from our own lives. It's something about us personally that we don't like—that we hate, even—because it emphasizes our weakness. It keeps coming up, and we can't get rid of it, and when we pray for help, God says to us what He said to Paul: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness."
Whatever it is, it keeps us humble and dependent on Christ. And anything that drives us back to Jesus is a blessing in the end. To have Jesus plus suffering or embarrassment is ... still to have Jesus, right? It's to have the One who loves us so much He lay down His life for us—and then took it up again. It's to have Jesus always with us, closer than our own body or breath, strengthening us, comforting us, carrying us when we need it. What's a little suffering or embarrassment compared to that? We have Jesus, and that is enough.
We Pray: Dear Lord, let me have You, and that is enough for me. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on July 3, 2024
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights
Reflection Questions:
1. Why are pride and arrogance dangerous? What do they do to our relationship to Christ?
2. What keeps you humble? You don't have to say it out loud unless you want to.
3. Does God have a sense of humor? Should we?
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