Grace for Today – EGP Blog post from May 13, 2018

“Though it will be rough as you face various woes of living in a fallen world, or messengers of Satan himself, God’s high regard for you as His child is like a fortress around you.” —Equip God’s People

2 Corinthians 12:7–9 ()

[7] Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment§ me—to keep me from exalting myself! [8] Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. [9] And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about§ my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

2 Corinthians 12:7 Lit beat
2 Corinthians 12:9 Lit in

While most of the time, we think of grace as simply, “not getting the punishment that is deserved” (i.e., just a synonym for mercy), it’s really best defined as “getting favor or kindness that is not deserved”. Looking closer at the word translated “sufficient” (), we see that it literally means, “to raise a barrier; to ward off; to give an advantage.”

Though it will be rough as you face various torments—be they woes of living in a fallen world (e.g., pain and death) or messengers of Satan himself—you have the advantage! God’s high regard for you as His child is like a fortress around you. It doesn’t remove us from battle, but it wards off the greatest of evils.

At the same time, it is sufficient grace. This means that it is enough strength and undeserved favor for that day, or even that moment. However, if you try to take on tomorrow, you’re in danger of stepping outside of His protective barrier.

Key verses

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