The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “Perfect in Weakness” for Sunday, 4 January 2015 - Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:6-10

The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “Perfect in Weakness” for Sunday, 4 January 2015 - Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:6 If I had a mind to brag a little, I could probably do it without looking ridiculous, and I’d still be speaking plain truth all the way. But I’ll spare you. I don’t want anyone imagining me as anything other than the fool you’d encounter if you saw me on the street or heard me talk.
7-10 Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
The Lord said to Paul, “My power is made perfect in weakness.”[2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)]
Mabel was known as a prayer warrior. She was always willing to intercede with God on behalf of others. This was one of her gifts. Being available to others was another. In her later years she had become discouraged when her poor eyesight interfered with her desire to serve. Once, when she had tried to call a friend, she misread the number and dialed incorrectly. Typical of Mabel, she began asking the person at the other end of the call about his life and if he was a person of faith. She had a long conversation with “Wrong Number” and gave him a lot of encouragement, which she said seemed to change his tone and attitude as they talked. When he thanked Mabel for the call, she realized that God could use even her poor eyesight as an avenue for service.
Mabel’s example is a reminder to me that God can use not only our gifts and graces but also our weaknesses and “wrong numbers.” More and more I’m discovering that God is in the detours of our lives. Indeed, those detours often become thoroughfares through which we experience epiphany.
The Author: Davis Chappell (Tennessee, USA)
Thought for the Day: God can turn our “wrong numbers” into opportunities.
Prayer: Dear God, show us ways every day that we can be available to serve those around us. Amen.
Prayer focus: The elderly
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