Promise #18 - January 18

. . . ​My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  ~2 Corinthians 12:9

Today's promise comes from the time Paul the Apostle encountered Christ. This time is recorded in 2 Corinthians 12:1–10. Paul has an amazing experience in the third heaven, where he sees things that he can't tell anyone else about. Later, he receives a "thorn in his flesh," which is a messenger of Satan sent to bother him.

He asked the Lord three times to take away this "thorn in his flesh." Jesus' answer to Paul in the first part of verse 9 was, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul got a new understanding of how the kingdom of God works after hearing these words from Jesus himself.

Paul answers Jesus in the last part of verse 9 by saying, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." The kingdom of God is not the same as the kingdom of this world. The kingdom will be given to those who are poor in spirit. God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confuse the wise. The last shall be first, and the weak shall be made strong.

Today, I pray that we will be able to see the kingdom of God and accept it with all our hearts. When we can't handle life on our own, let us remember that this is when Christ's power is on us. May we all boast in our weaknesses so that Jesus, our Elder Brother, can make us stronger.

Prayer:

Thank You, Father, for using the weak things of this world to confuse the strong. Thank You for the good news that You accept me completely without requiring my strength. Help me to love Your beautiful kingdom in all its glory, and remind me that when I am weak, I am really strong because I have Christ's strength.

I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.