Verse of the Day 2/17

Verse of the Day 2/17

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 English Standard Version

9 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. 10 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.

I read today's verses while sitting in my wife's hospital room due to some side effects of the chemo that she has been on to fight her cancer.  It is another one of those times when I am amazed by her grace her faith.  The verses have also caused me to look back on others in my life, beginning with my father who had to deal with a disability all of his life but whom I never heard complain about it or ask the question "why me" to any of the trials or difficult time in our lives.

I've also been taught by my son Jeff through his traumatic brain injury who routinely says "thank you for this wonderful life.  May younger son Jason suffered from an inoperable brain tumor who never looked back but kept his focus ahead. When asked about the battle he said that without it he would never have met his wife. God later miraculously took away the "inoperable tumor" on His own.

Puritan writer J.C. Philpot writes:

Not your strength,
not your wisdom,
not your prayers,
not your experience;
but "My grace"--My free, My matchless grace:
  independent of all works and efforts,
  independent of everything in the creature,
  flowing wholly and solely, fully and freely, out of the bosom of Jesus to . . .
    the needy,
    the guilty,
    the destitute,
    the undone.

You who are tried in worldly circumstances, who have to endure the hard lot of poverty--"My grace is sufficient for you."

Believer, your case is never beyond the reach of the words--"My grace is sufficient for you!"

The free, the matchless, sovereign grace of God, is sufficient for all His people--in whatever state, or stage, or trouble, or difficulty they may be in!"

Reading this I could not help but think of the old hymn "Wonderful Grace of Jesus"

Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Greater than all my sin;
How shall my tongue describe it,
Where shall its praise begin?
Taking away my burden,
Setting my spirit free;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus,
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea;
Higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain,
All sufficient grace for even me,
Broader than the scope of my transgressions,
Greater far than all my sin and shame,
O magnify the precious name of Jesus,
Praise his name!

Do you know of someone who shows God's grace in challenging circumstances?  Praise God for their testimony of the wonderful, the matchless grace of Jesus.

Ponder this statement one more time, "Believer, your case is never beyond the reach of the words--"My grace is sufficient for you!"

Blessings,

Mike

Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

English Standard Version

7 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. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 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. 10 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.