Isaiah 61:1-7; 2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Luke 22:24-30

Today, our nation celebrates its place as the land of the free and the home of the brave. At times, this reality causes us to thump our chest to let the world know how great we are. The apostle Paul, too, could claim his place among the greats. Paul was “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:5–7). Yet, he was not mightier than the thorn. As Paul followed Jesus, he was plagued by a thorn in the flesh to keep him from becoming conceited. He asked God to take it away, and God said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). So, too, God’s grace is sufficient for us no matter where this life takes us, because when we are weak, then we are strong.