CAC Living Water Daily Devotional – A Thorn In The Flesh

CAC Living Water Daily Devotional |  Sunday, November 14, 2021 | A Thorn In The Flesh

Topic: A Thorn In The Flesh

Date: Sunday, November 14, 2021 – World Diabetes Day

Read:   2 Corinthians 12:7-10

2 Corinthians 12:7-10  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

MEMORISE: 

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure (2 Corinthians 12:7).

EXPOSITION

Literally, thorn is any sharply pointed woody growth projecting from the stem of some trees, bushes, and woody plants. Physically having thorn in one’s flesh is better imagined than experienced. It is a foreign body that the body cannot cope with because of the pains it causes the body. Until the thorn is removed from where it is hiding in the flesh, the whole body would be discomfited. Diabetes or any other ailment could be classified as thorn in the flesh. Yet it is within God’s power to remove such, as the World commemorates Diabetes Day today.

Today, the Holy Spirit is teaching us something about thorns that are far beyond the physical. The presence of thorn in the flesh, physically, is quite easy to solve, once the spot is located. However, removing the spiritual thorn is complicated!

In our text, Apostle Paul expresses his human frustration with the ‘thorn’ in his flesh. He confessed he had prayed to God on three occasions for its removal, but God had instructed otherwise: ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Cor. 12:9). In a way, God is telling us that we should be concerned with why He allows thorns in our fleshes than the thorns themselves! In Paul’s case, it was to humble him ‘lest he be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations he had’ (v. 7). Naturally, thorns in the flesh limit the activity of the affected area. This means God allows certain situations to make us humble.

God made His chosen Israel to go through the wilderness experience because He wanted to elicit from them their intents and humility (Deut. 8:1ff). Thorns in the flesh are of different natures, degrees and operations. There are serious situations, like childlessness, medication-defying ailments, and physical impairments that have beset great people of God. These may be Satan-induced, but the truth is, God is at work, fulfilling His purpose for, and through the afflicted (Amos 3:6; 1 Cor. 10:13; Rom. 8:28). So, don’t allow them to negatively impact you in relation to God (cf. Rom. 8:35-39). Be strong in the Lord.

PRAYER POINTS

1. My Father, my Father. Help me to keep on keeping on in You, regardless of what You allow to come my way in life.

2. Lord Jesus, I covenant with You: Nothing will make me quit following You, whatever comes my way.

3. Pray for believers who are at the verge of apostatising because of their terribly trying situations.

EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Jeremiah 48:41 – 50:17; Hebrews 8:1 – 9:8

Author: Christ Apostolic Church  [Worldwide]