Thorns and Grace

        We planted a rose bush near the fence in our back yard.  The rose has been doing well but for some reason, the largest branch went through the chain link fence and now the branch is covered with very large thorns.  It is one of the main branches and I didn't want to chop it off so have let it grow where it wants to grow.  What is also so impressive about the plant is the size of the thorns and how sharp they are.  Second Corinthians 12:7-9 says, "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."   
       Thorns are never something that I enjoy.  On the farm, we would have to go out and chop down very large thistles which were covered with thorns.  We learn from the Scriptures that life is also filled with thorns and we would like to get rid of them.  The apostle Paul had a particular thorn in his life.  No one knows exactly what it was and everyone has their own idea but the fact is, Paul had a thorn in his flesh and he prayed three times for God to remove it and guess what?  God didn't remove the thorn.  Paul went through life with his thorn but he found that God, Who didn't take the thorn away, gave him something far greater, His grace.  It is another one of those things that we don't know just how it works, but it does.  The sufficiency of God's grace takes care of the thorn.  It doesn't remove the thorn, but the grace of God works in your life in such a way that the thorn is neutralized.  You may have a thorn in your life.  If you are like most people, there probably more than one thorn but there is that one thing that if it was gone, your life would seem to be perfect.  You seem to be able to live with the little stickers, but that one thorn seems unbearable at time.  You can hear the words that were given to the Apostle about his thorn.  God says to you, "...my grace is sufficient...."    Praise God today for His wonderful grace.  It will keep you going from day to day as you lean on Him.