Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-06-20


per Coz
Chicago June Is, 1902
Text.-My grace is sufficient for thee: for
My strength is made perfect in weakness
II. Cor 1919
Pauls EXperience.-Here in this
twelfth chapter of second Corinthians
we touch the extremes in Paul's life,
and from the third Heaven in Paradise
where his soul was in such transports
of celestial JOY that he knew not
whether he was in the body or out of
the body, and where he heard things
which never mortal ear heard him
speak-they were so sacred; from that
glorious height to which God by spe
cial favor raised him, we find him few
verses farther on plunging down to
the depths of human misery and weak
ness, as for time the infrmity of
the flesh, whatever it was, obscured
the blessed face of his Lord and shut
out all the joy from his Christian ex-
perience. This thorn in the flesh. this
messenger of Satan, was the one
plague-spot of his life, the fly Of COR
ruption in the ointment of his frag-
rant Christian life. Down on his
knees in the dust goes Paul, and he
beseeches God, not once nor twice,
but thrice, that it might depart from
him. Then, like the rift in the dark
cloud through which the golden glor-
les of the splendid sun come stream
ing, illuminating and Transforming
that which has been dark and forbid
ding into glowing, glistening noun
tain peak of heavenly beauty-then,
Paul finds in the marvellous love and
wisdom of God his thorn in the flesh
is to become all agIow with the glory
and power of Christ; that, instead of
being removed according to his agon-
lied and repeated petition, it is to be
transformed and become a subduing,
softening influence on his life. 1t is
60 be no longer thorn of sorrow,
but fragrant rose of gladness, and
his heart breaks forth into song as he
exclaims: 'Most gladly, therefore.
will I glory in my infrmities, that the
power of Christ may rest upon me!''
His thorn has become Gods golden-tip-
ped goad to better service.
The Thorn in the Flesh.-Perhaps
there has been no incident in the life
of Paul over which there has been
more speculate than this thorn in
the flesh, and the curiosity to know
just what that thorn was. AS though
exact knowledge in this respect would
aid in better understanding the eX-
perience~ and learning its lesson. I am
decidedly of the opinion that Paul
under the ms piration of the Holy Spirit
left the nature of the thorn indefinite
in order that the followers of Jesus
Christ might realize that their infrm-
ity, their thorn in the flesh, whatever
IL mir ho could I, t,.ao TO in he q
way as that of Paul. and become glor-
iously transformed even as was his.
You see if Paul had been explicit, the
brother with a similar thorn would
be claiming a monopoly of this blessed
experience, and ''Me and Paul. would
be his theme, and many a poor, dis
couraged brother with different kind
of a thorn would go sadly away bear
ing his unchanged thorn with him.
A thorn is thorn whether you find it
on a rosebush or a thistle, and the
same hand can turn the point of both
from piercing the tender flesh. So the
Lord can deal with all thorns in the
flesh and transform them into minis
tering influences.
Pauls undoubtedly was a desper-
ate case; his thorn of such stub
born nature as to tax the utmost pow
er of Christ to help him bear it. AS
Paul. under the direct inspiration OF
the Holy Spirit, was made to declare
himself the chiefest of sinners in order
that he might become the great exam
pie of the saving power of Jesus Christ
SO in his thorn he gives encouragement
to all similarly afflicted. If the Lord
was able to transform his thorn, if
His grace was sufficient to soothe the
decorations made by it's lancet point
then there is hope for you and me
and we can "come with boldness to tn
throne of grace and obtain mercy, and
find grace to help in time of need
These thorns are present in every
life to greater or less degree. A
thorn in the flesh is an irrita ting in.
fluence or circumstance in life, any
bodily infrmity. any weakness, any
hurtful lust or desire. These may be
classified under two divisions: Thorns
of a permanent character, such as
physical deformity or weakness, anc
the temporary thorns of daily trials
difficulties, burdens, perplexities. mis-
| fortunes, 'pers ecutions, etc. Paul's
| thorn was undoubtedly of a permanent
| character, but his experience has its
| application no less to the temporary
petty thorns of the daily life. 1t i:
| the little foxes that spoil the vines
and it is not so often the great thorr
which wrecks the life and destroy:
| its peace of mind and its usefulness
as it is the many little thorns. Yor
may have in your life the permanent
thorn. You know what it is. Yo,
most certainly have the little thorn:
| piercing your weary feet day by day
| and pricking and irritating the bus,
hands. This experience of Paul is fol
| YOU. and if YOU will but learn his secre1