Many of us are grateful for the medical field of Optometry and have contributed generously to the maintenance of beachfront Caribbean villas and Swiss chalets which will never be deeded to us. I suppose we could harbor a twinge of resentment over the seeming unfairness of it all, but the immediate and personal benefits of those vacation-less investments make our check-writing ‘clearly’ worthwhile. If we’ve ever misplaced or broken our vision correctors, we can surely sympathize with those in Jesus’ day. They had no ability to fix sight problems. If, for any reason, their eyes were damaged or diseased, they mostly were left to cope as they could. It’s here I’m reminded of Paul’s words (It is thought that the cause of Paul’s three-times-repeated prayer {2 Cor. 12:7-9a} – in response to which God assured him that His grace was sufficient – could have been an eye issue.) ”For now we see but a faint reflection of riddles and mysteries as though reflected in a mirror, but one day we will see face-to-face. My understanding is incomplete now, but one day I will understand everything, just as everything about me has been fully understood.” 1 Corinthians 13:12, TPT. Paul, so very much like us, wanted to know and see everything clearly, immediately, right then, without delay, so that he could resume ‘control’ of his own life. But back to God’s response to Paul’s prayer: God promised, not removal of the ‘messenger of Satan,’ but a supply of His grace which would always be more than enough, then He added this; that it was Paul’s very weakness which allowed the full expression of God’s power to be displayed!
So it seems that the vision-correcting formula is not: our weakness – embarrassment, shame, failure; but rather: our weakness – God’s power out there for all to see. hm Let’s look at how Paul reacted to this shocking response: “So I will celebrate my weaknesses, for when I’m weak I sense more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me. So I’m not defeated by my weaknesses, but delighted! For when I feel my weakness and endure mistreatment – when I’m surrounded with troubles on every side and face persecution because of my love for Christ – I am made yet stronger. For my weakness becomes a portal to God’s power.” 2 Cor. 12: 9b,10, TPT. Just think, y’all! This is the S.O.P. (standard operating procedure) of the Kingdom! This is how God leverages his invitation to the world! This is how He convinces non-believers (and scaredy-cat believers as well) of the Divine Design of His Program. This Kingdom of God’s is gloriously upside down, deliriously stress-free, ridiculously custom-fitted! Who’d want an ole beachfront Caribbean villa anyway? PD
