Tag: Devotion

2 Corinthians 11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

The Apostle Paul acknowledges his weakness, a weakness borne out of self-awareness and yet how that weakness became a strength in his life. Jesus said it well in Matthew 5:3-6 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. These were the underpinnings of his self-apprasial. He understood that in himself was nothing good.

He was speaking for himself and yet not for himself. He was speaking as an ambassador for his Lord Jesus Christ. And he was speaking of the manifold blessings that he received as a result of following his good Lord. It enabled him to suffer without flinching because there was a strength that his Lord imparted to him. And there was a message that he could impart, that is, his transformed life in Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

The Apostle Paul’s daily care was centred upon the believers that has come to faith in Jesus Christ, whom he had preached the gospel and the Lord had gloriously saved. These souls were gathered together to form local church congregations all over Asia Minor and also into Europe. The vast geographical distance made it forbidding for him to travel and meet these churches.

2 Corinthians 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

The Apostle Paul faced much external opposition in the course of the gospel work. He was prepared of the Lord to weather these hardships in the strength of the Lord. The joy of the Lord was with him to encourage his heart to focus upon the fruit of the gospel labour, souls won to Christ’s kingdom and nurtured for eternal glory.

The sufferings that the Apostle Paul seemed not to have defeated his spirit of service for his Master but have energised him with a strength that he had not known within himself – Isaiah 40:28-31 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

God’s work cannot fail. His weary servants shall be given strength so that they will not faint nor grow weary.

2 Corinthians 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

The Apostle Paul experienced physical depravation when the weather is cold and he had little clothing to keep himself warm. In such a state, the body is weakened and one can fall sick easily, catching a cold. He was faced with such physical challenges as he pressed on with the gospel work. He could have continued enjoying his life in the comforts of his home country. But he did not. He was energized by a strength that enables him to overcome such adverse physical torment.

There seemed to be a hidden strength that enabled him to not crumble. We recall the presence of God with him, counselling him, directing him, protecting him and comforting him. He was not alone in his mission. Jesus promised His disciples, “Lo, I am with you alway.” (Matthew 28:20).

We are reminded of the Great Commission – Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, evenunto the end of the world. Amen.

2 Corinthians 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

Fasting brings the soul to an undistracted frame for worship and prayer. The Apostle Paul was in fastings often, putting aside the task of having to prepare and eat a meal so as to free the time and the body to a continual period of prayer and devotion to God. In the work of the gospel, fasting renders the soul to a higher consciousness of mental alertness and focus.

Daniel fasted that he may obtain wisdom to understanding God’s will for His people – Daniel 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

2 Corinthians 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

A sober reminder once again the true picture of Christian service. There is much to suffer for Christ’s sake. It fact, a study of the life of Christ will show us this truth. Jesus was born in a lowly manger. There was no room in the inn for his parents to lodge when He entered human history. King Herod was after His life.

Referencing 1 Corinthians 4:11, the Apostle Paul’s words were reflective of Christ’s ministry – Jesus said in Matthew 8:20 …The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

It must have come as an anti-climax to His followers. You mean this Great Master Who did all this wonder, did not even have a house to stay and have to be in the streets. The scribe did not directly accept nor yet flatly reject Jesus. Jesus’s words must have kept the scribe thinking. If he had wanted to follow Jesus because he is attracted to the power and prestige of healing, the power to cast out devils, to be the follower of a popular Master like Jesus is now, then he better think twice because He did not even have the basic comforts in life. He had no place of His own. In John’s gospel we are told that every man at the end of the day went unto his own house (John 7:58) but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, sleeping under the stars in prayer to the Father. It was a hard life.

2 Corinthians 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

There were many instances when he needed to rest but the demands of the gospel work piles in incessantly like the waves on the seashore so that he had to endure sleeplessness to see to the completion. Sentry work requires the watcher to be on the alert lest the enemy overtakes by surprise. A sleeping guard will endanger the camp whose well-being hinges upon his skill in watching. It is especially critical during the wearisome periods of the duty when the body’s alertness is put to the ultimate test.

The gospel work is a supernatural work that comes with it a supernatural enabling when it is God’s purpose to accomplish His holy purpose. As such, the servant of God is given the assurance that the grace of God that is sufficient to the task assigned. What consolation and encouragement.

2 Corinthians 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

There are much weariness and painfulness in the work of the ministry. Whether they are physical afflictions or emotional anguish, the Lord allowed His servants to partake of the afflictions of the gospel. The Apostle Paul truthfully recorded these afflictions so that God’s people may be prepared for such testings in the work of the ministry. It seemed here the afflictions could have been so acute yet the Apostle Paul did not flinch or give up. The Lord’s grace was the great enabler. There was overcoming in the way he presented these sufferings.

Isaiah 40:28-31 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

It was the Lord and His presence and power that made all the work possible. As he said in Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. God not only energise the heart, providing the wisdom, but God also was with him in the doing, renewing his strength and providing for him the power to be refreshed and increaseth his strength to endure and overcome.

2 Corinthians 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

A frightening prospect yet a reality in the local church – Persons who joined themselves to the Church, pretending faith in Christ, but intending to act as spies, hoping to get some matter of accusation against him. He no doubt suffered much also from apostates. [Clarke]

It is the Holy Spirit that reveals to His servants the false brethren perhaps through some giveaway in their actions, words or behaviour. The Apostle Paul was protected from such characters in his ministry work. It saved him from many hard aches that will come later if these were not exposed at critical moments.

2 Corinthians 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

Chadwick correctly said, “Service of Christ is a warfare in which, of necessity, many wounds must be received. Well is it for us if we can regard these wounds as “trials” from a Divine source for some good purpose.” The dangers of a traveller, perils that must first be overcome before any good work can be done to reach the cities to preach the gospel. It would have been most probable to perish in the wilderness yet the Lord preserved him through all these perils.

Uninhabited countries through which he was obliged to pass in order to reach from city to city. In such places, it is easy to imagine many dangers from bandits, wild beasts, cold, starvation, etc. [Clarke]