PAUL’S THORN

To John and all doves,

I totally agree with Alan T. and what he said in his wonderful letter posted 3/31. I feel that it is definitely all about the heart, and having doubts. I would just like to add a bit more about this concept, and my personal take on it.

I believe Paul’s thorn to be the remembrance of his past sins.  Paul was unique among the apostles because of his past, which was one of persecuting and killing Christians.  This would certainly make him the Chief of sinners, in regards to the other apostles.  I think this is true of all sinners who find Christ and are born-again, we become a new creature, but we still remember our past sins.  Christ tells us He will not remember them; but He does not tell us we won’t.  In our weakness as humans, we will remember, and oft times feel unworthy to have been forgiven.

In effect, it is a valuable tool in evangelizing to others, because we can tell them how much we have been forgiven, thus giving that person hope, no matter how sinful they may be.  I once heard it said; “You must stand as a sinner, with a sinner, to save him”.

We remember where we came from, and how much Christ has forgiven us…each of us has this thorn, and we can let it condemn us, or we can use it to bring others to the Lord.  This does not mean that we keep on sinning; it means that by remembering where we came from, helps us always to remember what Christ did for us.

Saul, who became Paul, was a Pharisee and a murderer.  A professor of the Law, the Ten Commandments, but not a keeper of the Law; “thou shalt not kill”.  On top of that, he persecuted and murdered God’s own people!!  Yes, he was chief among sinners, until Christ saved him.  He was the perfect example of a new creature…a murderer turned apostle.  He must have remembered where he came from, and what he had done before being saved, and so do we.

I find it to be my thorn, when I remember what a sinner I was before Christ saved me.  I also find it to be the best tool to evangelize to the unsaved.  It reminds us that no one is worthy of this gift, or in any way deserves it.  Yet, when someone hears your honest testimony of how lost you were before you were found, it makes an impact that really speaks to the heart.

Roses have thorns; there is beauty and suffering mixed together, reminding us that with the beauty of being forgiven there is the pain of remembrance of what we were forgiven of.  Yet, it is this remembrance that will help us to save others, and always keep us in a state of humility and Grace.

WHAT AN AWESOME LORD WE SERVE!!!

Patti C.