The things we can do for ourselves, we ought to do without holdin’ out a tin cup.”
–Elmer Kelton (The Time It Never Rained)
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is make perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
–2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
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Is Christ all-sufficient? I wonder as we hear so many whine and cry for attention and for people to put a dime, oops I mean a twenty dollar bill in their cup. They don’t even want to hear the sound of the coin ringing in the cup; they just want. People want grades, they want free tuition, they want pay without work, they want a new car, new house, new boat, they want, want, want.
Terry Tuley, in his book, has a piece written by a wounded Confederate soldier after a battle. It does not say what battle, and it isn’t politically correct in our modern and enlightened age (new term for revisionist stupidity) to speak of the Confederacy, but here it is. Take it to heart and see if Christ is sufficient.
I asked God for strength that I might achieve,
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health that I might do great things,
I was given infirmity that I might do better things,
I asked for riches that I might be happy,
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men,
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life,
I was given life that I might enjoy all things,
I got nothing that I asked for but everything that I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.
We are to grow in grace. That means there is a process, because it is a growth. Things do not always happen the way we want or plan. Our dreams may turn out to be a nightmare. We often ask our heavenly Father for things that are not to our spiritual benefit in the largest scope of things. Ah, but God in His wonderful, marvelous, gracious wisdom imparts to us what we need.
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This day in the Texas Revolution: General Jose de Urrea defeats a small band of Texans at the Battle of San Patricio.