One Ear Closer to Jesus – Part 4

By: Dev Menon

“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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

What are all these infirmities that come upon us? Are they to discourage us? To tell us we are in the wrong vocation? Have we misinterpreted His calling?

Perhaps – that could indeed be a possibility.

Yet there is also the promise that it is God who will inflict these infirmities on us, that we may be more useful in His calling. And we are exactly where He wants us to be.

He makes us strong, then makes us weak – so that others may see His strength.

Isn’t that how life happens in general? First we get strong as we grow up, then we become weak as we age…. That is the pattern set up for us in this fallen creation.

The weakening process reveals what we have done with our time of strength. Indeed the ‘Day of Revealing’ will show everything for what it really is. When the ‘scroll’ of flesh is rolled up for good.

So then as my time of flesh-strength begins to come to an end, and the time of flesh-weakening begins to take hold…  it is the time for ‘what lies beneath’ to be seen. Is there something eternal underneath all this meat?

Hopefully the result of which will be this…

“Death is at work in us, but life in you. ” (2 Corinthians 4:12)

Isn’t that the new pattern of life found in the cross? Where we do not simply live and die, but rather, we live and die in the flesh – so that others may have life, and life eternal.