Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!
Psalm 124; 2 Corinthians 11; 2 Corinthians 12; 2 Corinthians 13
I Quit Focusing On The Handicap
And
Began Appreciating The Gift
Scripture
7-10 … what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, 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. 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.
Observation
Since
July 30th I have not been able to drive a car! I can’t drive anymore
because of my wacky heart. It has been proven to be too unreliable, so putting
me behind the wheel endangers everybody not just me!
We
just had the opportunity to drive up to Tennessee and North Carolina and Kathy
had to do all the driving – all 2160 miles! For a man, or at least for this
man, having to have your wife do all the driving is humbling. I had been doing
most of the driving for the past 43 years of our marriage. At least when I was
in the car with Kathy I almost always was the one that was driving.
To
be honest I am not at the same point that the Apostle Paul was when he wrote
this part of his letter to the church at Corinth. We don’t know what Paul’s
physical handicap was but by this time in his life he was handling it pretty
well.
I
want to get to where I can say like the Apostle Paul said, “I quit focusing on the handicap and began
appreciating the gift.”
Maybe I am almost
there. It is easier for me to ride in the passenger seat every day we go somewhere
now than it was 3 months ago. Oh, I meant to say, “lt is a little bit easier”!
The Apostle Paul had to walk everywhere. He never had the luxury of riding in a car, bus, plane or even on a bicycle like I get to do.
Shame on us - I mean shame on me for ever feeling bad about my situation! I never experienced anything like the Apostle Paul did:
2 Corinthians 11
24 Five times the Jews have given me their punishment of 39 lashes with a whip. 25 Three different times I was beaten with rods. One time I was almost killed with rocks. Three times I was in ships that were wrecked, and one of those times I spent the night and the next day in the sea. 26 In my constant traveling I have been in danger from rivers, from thieves, from my own people, and from people who are not Jews. I have been in danger in cities, in places where no one lives, and on the sea. And I have been in danger from people who pretend to be believers but are not.
27 I have done hard and tiring work, and many times I did not sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Many times I have been without food. I have been cold and without clothes. 28 And there are many other problems. One of these is the care I have for all the churches.
Application
I
will focus on looking at my little handicap as a gift today! How
about you?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I look forward to what You are going to do today. You
are so powerful. I pray that You do a Mighty Work in the lives of all of us
that attend church today. I pray for those that need to be saved. I pray that
today they will open up their hearts. I pray for others who are struggling with
problems right now. I pray that they will give those problems over completely to
You. Set them free! Help us appreciate this day that You have given us to live
and help us live it to its fullest! Help us enjoy the people that You bring
across our path. Be glorified today in Your church.
Use Pastor Bruce to
encourage Your people through Your Word. You are Worthy of Praise!
Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!
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