devotional – Page 152 – Broken Believers

Bragging Rights

“Three times I begged the Lord to make this suffering go away. But he replied, “My kindness is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.” So if Christ keeps giving me his power, I will gladly brag about how weak I am.”

2 Corinthians 12:8-9

This is a very crisp idea, Paul flips things upside down and then gives it a shake. His attention is directed at bringing clarity and understanding about these issues of pain, weakness and conflict. There is an understanding that Paul passes on that has personally worked its way through his own heart. Truth that has taken that pathway is very precious.

Paul shares a conversation he had with the Lord Himself. It really does seem that this subject was a continual topic between them. He mentions it to Jesus three different times. This tells me, that suffering and pain are issues where it’s hard to get resolution. When we hurt, we want Jesus to intervene, asap. It is a real riddle to us, “Why am not healed?”

It seems to me that Paul comes to the point over and over and its not resolved to his satisfaction. When the Lord does bring Paul to an understanding; it is basically the whole dynamic of the Christian experience. And it is this, when a believer is sick, or weak–it’s then the strength and power of Jesus can be accessed. Simply put–No pain, no power.

Paul ‘begged’ for resolution, and the ultimate response was the Lord was showing him the secret for his strength was in that presence of pain. It gave him a power and force and might that he would not have otherwise. Now Paul had a very intense ministry. He would deal with issues and conflicts that would shrivel up most believers. The list is long (see 2 Corinthians 11:23-28) and painful. But the gist of it was Paul being abused and attacked by other people, over and over.

Paul had to have an extra boost to fulfill his ministry. He needed affliction and weakness to connect him to a huge ‘underground river’ of grace and love that flowed under his feet unseen and unknown. The difficulties that Paul dealt with were actually what propelled him in his ministry.

There can be no power without pain; no discipleship without some kind of ‘disability.’

Paul tells the truth, “I boast in my weaknesses. Just tap me into His power”. Trials are the power outlet for the believer. When he says things like that, it is good to pay attention. The earnestness of Paul’s language in these verses gives us a sense of what is real, and how we should trust these ideas, as we are propelled into our ministry to the Lord.

“The power of the Church is not a parade of flawless people, but of a flawless Christ who embraces our flaws. The Church is not made up of whole people, rather of the broken people who find wholeness in a Christ who was broken for us.” –Mike Yaconelli

Paul’s Thorn: Buffeted By Demons (scripturenuggets.wordpress.com)
A Slave Of Christ Jesus (bummyla.wordpress.com)
Blessed By Brokenness (csahm.com)
Extraordinary Gifts from Ordinary People (compassiondave.wordpress.com)

Left-Handed People

^{15 “}But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord again raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their tribute money to King Eglon of Moab. ¹⁶So Ehud made a double-edged dagger that was about a foot long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing. ¹⁷He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat.

¹⁸After delivering the payment, Ehud started home with those who had helped carry the tribute. ¹⁹But when Ehud reached the stone idols near Gilgal, he turned back. He came to Eglon and said, “I have a secret message for you.”

So the king commanded his servants, “Be quiet!” and he sent them all out of the room.

²⁰Ehud walked over to Eglon, who was sitting alone in a cool upstairs room. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you!” As King Eglon rose from his seat, ²¹Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly. ²²The dagger went so deep that the handle disappeared beneath the king’s fat. So Ehud did not pull out the dagger, and the king’s bowels emptied. ²³Then Ehud closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine.”

Judges 3:15-23, NLT

Moab had subjected Israel to a considerable tribute. Every Israelite was affected by this arrangement. Just imagine owing a debt that you couldn’t pay, and having to pay it anyway. The Bible (Judges 3:12–4:1) includes the story of Ehud, an Israelite judge who uses his ‘left-handedness’ in successfully assassinating an oppressive king. Moab’s dominance over Israel would last for 12 years prior to Ehud’s brave deed.

We have metal detectors in our airports. If you are carrying a weapon, the detector senses it and alerts the TSA people. You simply can’t carry a gun or a knife and pass through the security. You will be caught.

A Israelite by the name of Ehud manages to get into the King of Moab’s palace with a dagger. The king’s guards searched him as if he were a right-handed man. But Ehud is left-handed, and he manages to keep the dagger hidden. After the search he is allowed to enter the palace.

It is just a moment, and Ehud states that he is carrying a secret message for King Eglon. The king clears the room. Ehud and the king are now alone. It is then when Ehud draws his dagger strapped to his right leg. He then (rather grotesquely) stabs Eglon and escapes the palace.

Only 10% of the world’s population is left-handed. It is kind of rare, I suppose. Studies have shown that there is a greater incidence of left-handed mathematicians, musicians, architects, and artists. Historically, most regarded left-handedness as a weakness and a deficiency. There is a suggestion that being a lefty is unlucky or evil. There are some who even avoid contact with left handed people. (The Latin for “left” is “sinister.”).

Various Thoughts on This Passage:

1) God will always respond to the cry of His people for deliverance.

2) Our innate gifts are given to us to build God’s people.

3) Our so-called “weaknesses” will often be used to advance God’s kingdom.

4) Sometimes we will have to take a stand and do what no one else will do.

This account in Judges 3 should encourage and strengthen your faith. What others consider is weakness, is often what God uses to deliver His people. I suppose that this is the reason the Holy Spirit preserved this story of Ehud the Judge.

Murder on the toilet (adrianmurdoch.typepad.com)
Today’s The Day To Get Your Left-Handed Beauty On (bellasugar.com)
Diatribe: Can A Lefty Get A Break On International Left-Handers Day? (diatribesandovations.com)
August 13 is International Left-Handers Day (news.yahoo.com)

Hardly Indispensable: A Leader’s View

^13″The next day, Moses took his seat to hear the people’s disputes against each other. They waited before him from morning till evening.

¹⁴When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What are you really accomplishing here? Why are you trying to do all this alone while everyone stands around you from morning till evening?”

Exodus 18

Often your father-in-law will observe things clearly and honestly. I believe most can perceive situations that our own fathers will overlook. I think this is because our own fathers are often functioning out of their hearts. They are emotionally attached. But a father-in-law has a different view.

Jethro has come, most likely to escort the grandkids, and his daughter. He is probably quite curious about Moses new direction. Jethro has only known that his son-in-law as a shepherd. But now, things are changing quickly. And Jethro is praising God for what He did over the Egyptians.

Jethro is enthusiastic. But he is also alert and aware. As Moses schedules his day, Jethro sees an inordinate amount of time given to judging, not leading. He watches and than asks some questions. This is the sign of good correction. Moses faces these questions really well. He is a great model for teachability.

Leadership is almost always a shared work.

Many aspects of it should be collaborative and plural. The singular view of leading people– out of my own resources alone, will not end well. Moses was teachable and Jethro needed to share this word of correction. If Moses had not took the wise advice of Jethro, they would’ve died in the desert.

When Moses released these things to others who were qualified, he commences on a new understanding of ministry. He actually becomes a better man because of the advice of Jethro. He must become “expendable.”

^{24 “}Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions. ²⁵He chose capable men from all over Israel and appointed them as leaders over the people. He put them in charge of groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.²⁶These men were always available to solve the people’s common disputes. They brought the major cases to Moses, but they took care of the smaller matters themselves.”

None are ever indispensable and no one can do everything. We may try, but that usually is ego. We will do better if we will relinquish control. I think that the Father designs it this way.

Dwight L. Moody once said that he would rather put a thousand men to work than do the work of a thousand men. I believe that is a Kingdom concept that we should activate.