QT 05/08/2024 Mon. 2Cor 12. Good thorn? 好刺？
QT 05/08/2024 Mon. 2Cor 12. Good thorn?
READ http://www.esvbible.org/2cor12
Paul had great credentials for boasting—his ancestry (2Cor 11:22), his sufferings for the sake of Christ (2Cor 11:23-27), his love for the churches (2Cor 11:28), and even his "surpassing greatness of the revelations" (2Cor 12:7,1-4).
Yet what he "delighted" in and boasted were not these wow-factors, but in "things that show my weakness" (2Cor 11:30). This included the mysterious "thorn in the flesh" (2Cor 12:7).
This thorn might have been something that hindered Paul's ministry, so much so that he pleaded for it to be removed. It did not go away nevertheless. Every time he looked at it or thought of it, it said to him, "You are WEAK and vulnerable".
What could have made Paul glad in something like that? (2Cor 12:9) Was it a way for him to indulge in self-pity? Or to earn the sympathy and attention of others? No. It was the fact that the very same thing also said to him and to the world “GOD is strong. GOD is powerful. GOD is full of grace.”
That was the value in Paul’s "thorn in the flesh". It showed everyone clearly that the power in Paul came from his relying on God, not from himself. With his weakness, Paul turned the focus to God and glorified God.
REFLECTION (1): Do you have a “thorn in the flesh” too? What is it calling attention to? Does it cause others to see God’s grace and power, or something else?
APPLICATION: Overcoming your weaknesses by tapping on it to show God's sufficient grace and perfect powers working "in jars of clay" (2Cor 4:7), in you and me.
星期一 2024年8月5日 今日读经：哥林多后书12章. 好刺？
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/2Co/12
保罗有足够的资格向人自夸—他的族谱(林后11:22)，他为基督所受的苦(林后11:23-27)、他对教会的爱(林后11:28)、甚至是他“所得到的莫大启示”(林后12:7,1-4)。
然而他所“欢喜的”并夸口的并不是这些让人赞叹的因素，而是“夸自己的弱点”(林后11:30)。这包括了那神秘的“加在他身上的一根刺”(林后12:7)。
这根刺或许是阻碍保罗事工前进的刺，以致于他祈求神拔除这根刺。这根刺仍然留在他身上。每逢保罗看到这根刺或想到它，它就会对他说：“你既软弱又不堪一击”。
这有什么好让保罗高兴的呢？(林后12:9)这是让他陷入自怜的方法吗？或者是让他博取别人的同情和注意？不。就是同一根刺对他和这个世界说“神是强大的。神是大有能力的。神是满有恩典的。”
那就是保罗“身上的那根刺”的价值。 它让每个人清楚地看到，保罗的能力是来自信靠神，不是来自他自己。保罗以他自身的软弱，转向神并荣耀神。
反思(1): 你是否也有一根“刺在身上”？那根刺是因着什么而引起人们的注意？它是否让人看见神的恩典和大能，或是其他的？
应用： 克服你的软弱，借着它来显明神够用的恩典和祂美好的作为，无论是在“瓦器里”(林后4:7)，还是在你和我里面。
