Arkei

A while ago, I read a book called “Victim of Grace.”

It is an incredible book that has helped me in numerous ways, but the first part of the book has always stuck with me the most.

The author was sitting with a friend that was going through a rough time. The friend described herself as feeling like a victim of circumstances taking place. Then the author told her a story.

She painted a picture of a time she walked into a building, was taken to a back room, was knocked out, stabbed twice, and when she woke up, she had stitches to hold her wounds closed.

It sounded awful, and the friend was shocked!

Then the author casual said that the building was a hospital, the man who knocked her out was an anesthesiologist, and the man who stabbed her was a surgeon.

She finished her story by telling her friend that yes, the process was painful, but looking at the big picture, she wasn’t a victim of violence, she was a victim of grace because it saved her life.

And as Christians, so are we: victims of grace.

Just think about that for a minute.

A true victim doesn’t deserve what happens to them. They don’t do anything to activate or prompt the actions taken toward them.

Being victims of grace, we can do nothing that will prevent or garner more of HIs grace. It is unmerited favor. Grace upon Grace.

So when I read that, I thought of the verse 2 Corinthians 12:9 where it says that His grace is sufficient.

In this book of the Bible, Paul is in the trenches. He is learning just how incapable he is in his own strength. But God spoke to him saying that His grace was sufficient.

The Greek word sufficient in this text is arkei, which implies endurance, strength, and satisfaction.

Woah, hold on.

So not only is God’s grace undeserved, but it satisfies me, gives me strength, and will endure.

But let’s not forget the rest of the verse where Paul says that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. Man, just on the surface, that is powerful.

I can’t help but think of the times I have felt so weak. I felt like such a failure. So much so that I felt I just couldn’t possibly be used by God in the state that I was in.

But God didn’t say I had to have it altogether for Him to use me. He didn’t say that I needed to have all the strength I could muster to fulfill His will.

No, He wants us to come as we are. Come broken and weary. Come tired and worn. Come weak. Because only then can His grace be made perfect.

You know I have to tell you about that Greek word “perfect” right? You had to see that coming.

Well hold onto your hats because this gets good. That greek word perfect, its teleitai. Look a little familiar? Ya, its really close to the last word Jesus spoke while on the cross. Tetelestai. (If you missed that blog post, please go back and read it!)

But that direct translation is “to bring to an end, complete, fulfill.”

Oh my.

God’s grace not only is undeserved, satisfying, strengthening, and enduring, but it completes and fulfills us in our weakness. Golly thats good.

But thats not even the end of the verse.

Paul goes on to say that he would rather boast in his weakness so that the power of God can dwell in him.

Paul actually says “Most gladly” and I have learned that there is not a word in the Bible that is there unintentionally. Paul wanted us to know that he would GLADLY boast his weakness (further emphasized by “most” in the front).

You know, that cuts deep for me. I don’t gladly embrace any shortcoming I have.

But that’s exactly what Paul says. Gladly boast your weaknesses so that the glory and praise can only go to Christ. So that all who see us, as Christians, can see that only by His grace and power were we able to accomplish what we did.

So that is why that is my “life verse.” I want all that see me to see that I am nothing without Christ. I can only do and be because of His grace by which He has saved me.