Brought to my Knees

 

 

 

"Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! 8 At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, 9 and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it's all you need.

My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. 10 Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size — abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become."  2 Cor 12:7-10

(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

 

Other than the Lord Jesus Christ, there was not a more powerful or influential  figure than the Apostle Paul.  He went from being Saul, the persecutor/murderer of Christians, to being the Super Apostle  who wrote 2/3rds of the New Testament.  He was one of the great (if not the greatest) missionaries of the early church.  He shared the gospel first with the Jew, and then with the Gentiles.  He traveled widely in his day, making disciples, starting, and equipping churches. 

Because of the powerful call on his life, the Lord anointed him and gifted him beyond  most.  He was honored to have been taken up into the 3rd  heaven.  We do not know if he died, and was brought back- or if he had a near-death encounter.  Or if he possibly had a vision.  Regardless of the means, he saw inexplicable and inexpressible glory.  No doubt this vision was needed to carry him through the strong persecution that would come to him during his ministry. He claims that it was given to him to keep him from being conceited.

There is much speculation about what this "messenger of Satan" is.  I have heard scholars postulate that it was blindness, malaria, or a sickness that brought him near death.  Others thought  possibly a horrific beating.   None of us truly know, but one thing we do know, is that he saw it as something to torment him.  But also something God  could work in spite of the "thorn."

I love the way the message Bible brings it with an "in your face" interpretation, "Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees."  When trials, struggles and torments come our way, we need to adopt Paul's attitude and recall that when we go to our knees in prayer we are receiving the strength and grace we need to make it  through.  Our weakness is no match for Christ's might.  He can overcome and overwhelm every shortcoming and make it a strength.

Dear Lord, help me in my areas of weakness.   I invite you in.  Demonstrate your majesty in-and through- me.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri