So my faith now becomes trust.

Tuesday 4-12-16   Camerones, Argentina

Scripture reading:  1 Sam 13    1 Chron 3 – 3    2 Cor 12

S=Scripture  O=Observation  A=Application  P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S.  2 Cor 12:8-9  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.   NKJV

O.  Apparently Paul had experienced marvelous celestial revelations, caught up into the heavens.  God had revealed things to him that he had no liberty to reveal to others.  And to keep him from seeing himself as someone super-special, the Lord actually allowed Satan certain liberties to torment him.  And when Paul with faith pleaded with the Lord for deliverance he got this clear message from the Lord, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

A.  I do not intend to understand all the workings of the Lord.  Some insist that this “thorn in the flesh” suffered by Paul was not “in the flesh” at all... not physical.  Well, I am not that great a theologian so I take it for what it says and I think Paul suffered a physical torment by the enemy.  To the Galatian Christians he writes Gal 4:15-16 “I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.” NIV Some believe that this is possibly a reference to a problem with his eye sight.  The Holy Scriptures remain silent about some things and this is one of them.  God has given me sufficient faith to trust in God’s judgment.  Faith... to me, is one thing... and trust is another.   

 

P.  Lord, I admit that my faith seems limited.  There are things I pray for that I have not yet received.  I may have asked you three or more times, and still I am waiting.  This does this not mean that You do not exist.  It means to me that You look at the picture of our lives from a different perspective.  You see things I cannot see.  You know that I need to wait on the answers to some of my prayers.  So my faith now becomes trust.  I, like Brother Paul, have asked in faith.  Now, even though I do not see the answer yet, I will trust Your divine judgment and with Your help my faith shall not stumble, but will be strengthened.  Amen.

Ralph