context

Most of us are familiar with the verses I've underlined in this passage.

But most of us aren't aware of their context in Paul's narrative.

Here's the context...

2 Corinthians 12 

1 This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. 3 Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know 4 that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.

5 That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. 6 If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, 7 even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

4 perspectives

I've shared this psalm before.

Thought I'd share some different translations of it.

Psalm 121

1 I look up to the mountains—
    does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!

3 He will not let you stumble;
    the one who watches over you will not slumber.
4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel
    never slumbers or sleeps.

5 The Lord himself watches over you!
    The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 The sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon at night.

7 The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.
8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever. (NLT)

121 1-2 I look up to the mountains;
    does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God,
    who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

3-4 He won’t let you stumble,
    your Guardian God won’t fall asleep.
Not on your life! Israel’s
    Guardian will never doze or sleep.

5-6 God’s your Guardian,
    right at your side to protect you—
Shielding you from sunstroke,
    sheltering you from moonstroke.

7-8 God guards you from every evil,
    he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
    he guards you now, he guards you always. (The Message)

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore. (ESV)

1 I look up at the vast size of the mountains—
    from where will my help come in times of trouble?
2 The Eternal Creator of heaven and earth and these mountains
    will send the help I need.

3 He holds you firmly in place;
He will not let you fall.
    He who keeps you will never take His eyes off you and never drift off to sleep.
4 What a relief! The One who watches over Israel
    never leaves for rest or sleep.

5 The Eternal keeps you safe,
    so close to Him that His shadow is a cooling shade to you.
6 Neither bright light of sun
    nor dim light of moon will harm you.

7 The Eternal will keep you safe
    from all of life’s evils,
8 From your first breath to the last breath you breathe,
    from this day and forever. (The Voice)

ending a letter

Peter ends his first letter with some practical stuff...

1 Peter 5

6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, 

and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 

7 Give all your worries and cares to God, 

for he cares about you.

8 Stay alert! 

Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. 

He prowls around like a roaring lion, 

looking for someone to devour. 

9 Stand firm against him, 

and be strong in your faith. 

Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. 

So after you have suffered a little while, 

he will restore, 

support, 

and strengthen you, 

and he will place you on a firm foundation. 

11 All power to him forever! 

Amen.

Peter talks about living for God

I'm sure that those of you who read this blog with any regularity have noticed that I don't make extended comments on things, or "wax eloquent" like I used to.

Seven years ago my wife, Lynn, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

I am her sole caregiver.

In the last couple of years caregiving has become more challenging, which has & is taking most of my energy & attention.

Each day I try to share something that stood out in the Bible reading I do.

I don't have an agenda - I'm just sharing some of the infinite truth I'm exposed to each day.

1 Peter 4

8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, 

for love covers a multitude of sins. 

9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. 

Use them well to serve one another. 

11 Do you have the gift of speaking? 

Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. 

Do you have the gift of helping others? 

Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. 

Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. 

All glory and power to him forever and ever! 

Amen.

suffering

2 Corinthians 4

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles,

but we are not crushed. 

We are perplexed, 

but not driven to despair. 

9 We are hunted down, 

but never abandoned by God. 

We get knocked down, 

but we are not destroyed. 

10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus 

so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

the question

Matthew 9

9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”

12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Consider this:

Maybe the question isn't when was the last time we were willing to "eat with such scum".

Maybe the real question is are we so much like Jesus that "scum" want to hang out with us.

Just a thought...

in the boat

Matthew 8

23 Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

27 The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

Jesus didn't say it, but I'm sure He basically wanted to say to His disciples, 

"Look, y'all - you're in the boat with THE SON OF GOD! Did you REALLY think I would let you drown?!"

I wonder if Jesus would like to say to each of us...

"Look... I'm 'in the boat' with you - I'm with you, always. Do you REALLY think I'd let you drown in your troubles?!"

Just a thought...