God’s Sufficient Grace

God’s Sufficient Grace

Today’s verse is from 2 Corinthians 2:9 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."

Paul pleaded for a thorn to be removed, but it was not.    More than once Paul desired  and prayed for for a thorn in the flesh to be taken away.  Anyone out there ever faced a thorn in the flesh?

Of course we have, we are human!

As I pondered Paul’s writing again in the context of this virus crisis called Covid-19, I reflected upon all the pleas I have prayed for this to be relieved, and taken from us.  I reflected upon the cries of others I have heard and read.

I listened to the prayers of my young children for God to be merciful, and take this from those who are suffering and to protect their momma and daddy and others they love…

I thought about something rather important:  God’s Grace is both past, present and future.   Paul said to Titus that the grace that  brings salvation has appeared (past tense).  But then he says,  it teaches us right now in the present age.  What does it teach us?  How we should live.

Here is the good news today:  God’s grace is with us every step of our lives.  It is not just in our past when we are saved, but it is active in our life today, regardless of the situation we face.

The need for God’s Constant grace was a constant plea of the praying Psalmists.  

In  Times of need he prayed a prayer found  in Psalm 30 verse 10,  the Psalmist said, “Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!  O Lord,  be my helper! 

In times a weakness we find a prayer in Psalm 86:16,  the psalmist said,  “Turn to me and be gracious to me;  give your strength to your servant.”

When they needed healing The psalmist  prayed: “Be gracious to me, O Lord,  for I am weak; Heal me, O Lord.”  Psalm 6:2

When the psalmist  faced his enemy he prayed:  “Be gracious to me, O Lord!   See my affliction from those who hate me.”  Psalm 9:13

Whenever the psalmist was lonely: “Turn  to me and be gracious to me,  for I am lonely and afflicted.”  Psalm 25:16

When grief overwhelmed their heart,  the Psalmist would pray: “be gracious to me, O Lord,  for I am in distress;  my eye is wasted from grief.”  Psalm 31:9

Whenever  the psalmist was convicted of sin he again turn to the Lord in prayer: “O Lord,  be gracious to me;  heal me,  for I have sinned against you!”  Psalm 41:4

Whenever evil  was present in the world and they felt the burden for others to be saved they turned to God in prayer:  “God  be gracious to us and bless us…  that your way may be known on earth.”  Psalm 67:1-2

It is hard to deny  that whatever state Paul was in he had found a blessing in contentment,  he had found a sufficient grace in his weakness.   Paul goes on in 2 Corinthians to remind us  in our weakness Christ strength is the greatest.  

Prayer is the great link of faith between the soul of the saint and the promise of God.   if this Christian life was meant to be sustained by prayer,  than this Christian life is meant to be sustained by faith in the grace that is given,  today and every day to come.

So regardless of your  circumstance today,  let us go to God in prayer,  and trust in his sufficient wonderful,  powerful grace.