Paul said about his being caught up to the third heaven and hearing things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, “…lest I should be exalted above measure…a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a MESSENGER OF SATAN TO TORMENT ME, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart…He said, “MY GRACE IS 1SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the POWER OF CHRIST may rest upon me.” (2 Corin. 12:7-9) 1arkeō: to be possessed of UNFAILING STRENGTH. No matter how much the devil torments us we have been given GODLY STRENGTH that is UNABLE TO FAIL. That is what grace does and why it is SO AMAZING.
Paul tells us about grace in another place, “Therefore, my beloved…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who WORKS IN YOU (that’s His grace) both TO WILL and TO DO for His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:12-13) This is just another reason that God’s Grace is so Amazing for you see God is AT WORK IN US giving us the DESIRE (to will) and the POWER (to do) to do HIS WILL. Just think about Noah For 120 years prior to the flood, Noah and his sons constructed a massive ark. The ark was a quarter of the height and half of the length of the Titanic. No wonder it took so long to build! Even more remarkable? Noah built it BY FAITH, “Noah, being divinely warned of things NOT YET SEEN (it had never rained), moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” (Heb. 11:7) Why did this all happen? Because, “Noah FOUND GRACE in the eyes of the LORD.” (Gen. 6:8) Up until then, mankind had no experience with great floods, let alone with massive ship building.
What about Joseph? Joseph lived to be 110 years old “So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.” (Gen. 50:26) His great grandfather Abraham’s legacy never would have continued—let alone continued for 4,000 years—without Joseph’s unswerving trust that the Lord God always was with him. We first see this when Joseph is SOLD INTO SLAVERY. We see this again when Joseph is THROWN IN PRISON. We see this a third time when Joseph is PROMOTED TO EGYPT’S SUPREME LEADER under Pharaoh’s authority. Finally, we see this when Joseph has the opportunity to slaughter his brothers, but instead forgives them. Listen to Joseph’s robust statement of faith: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Gen. 50:20). Because of God’s GRACE Israel was saved from starvation.
-Bill Stockham