Sufficient Grace

When I was a kid, I was a part of the Olympian program at my church. It was a great Wednesday night program for kids---and I looked forward to it each week! Each of us kids had a small packet of memory verse cards that we had to memorize. Each Wednesday night, we all came running in to the check-in table to recite those memory verses. Once we had memorized all the cards, we took a test on those verses---the fill-in-the-blanks kind of tests. But, if we got so many of the verses right, we would win a medal---bronze, silver, or gold. As a kid, I memorized those verses for the medals...and I got my fair share of them.

A couple years ago, my family and I were going through my daddy's belonging following his death. Among his things, we found one of those packets of memory verse cards. As we fumbled through the cards for good time down memory lane, I found myself still remembering many of those verses. Little did I know, one of those verses would come to be my every breath six months later.

In the moments following my car accident, I found myself searching for something I did not know I could find. Have you ever been in a place that has taken you by such a shock that you frantically looked for that unknown response? We respond to different situations with these preconceived responses---all-readied thoughts about responses should things go differently. But every once in a while, we find ourselves so out of control with our current situation that those responses we have stored up in our minds are useless. THIS is where I found myself in those quiet still moments following my accident. In those moments, I realized my arm was gone and watched my mother-in-law passed away...moments that were so out of my control that they even felt impossible. My mind could not come up with anything to make sense of the situation and try to gain some control. But my mind searched my heart, and there found these words...

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." II Corinthians 12:9

Words I had memorized from my Olympian days. Words that carried the very thing that this out-of-control situation needed. Such resonating words. As a kid, I probably could not tell you what this verse meant...only that this was what the Bible said. Now, sitting in that seat in the still quiet moments of such a shocking upheaval---it was then I knew what those words meant. "My grace is sufficient for thee." The paramedics, doctors, nurses, technicians-they can all hear me say these words over and over again. The next day, Mama and I was talking about anything and everything that wasn't related to the tragic events of the day before. And in the midst of our conversation, Mama was sharing with me about a Bible lesson she had put together on...II Corinthians 12:9. Oh, you know where that conversation travelled off to...we just talked and soaked up God's goodness in that verse. That afternoon, while I was opening the many cards being sent to the hospital for me, I began to notice that many of those cards had a particular verse reference WRITTEN in them...II Corinthians 12:9! At that point, I had my sister write down that verse and hanged it up in my room. Many conversations during my stay came from that piece of paper on my wall...conversations I will always hold dear and treasure in my heart.

When we go through difficult times in our lives, we are so quick to do what our minds tell us and not our hearts. When I think about it, what if I had not memorize that verse? I know one thing...I have picked up a habit now of memorizing more verses. Check this out...

Psalm 119:11--"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."

2 Timothy 3:16--"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"

Psalm 119:105--"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Memorizing Scripture should not be a chore...we should want to store up those words in our hearts. We call on songs for different situations. We remember the words of our parents and grandparents when facing everyday decisions. Why don't we call on the Word of God in the same sense?

I challenge you, the next time you are faced with a situation...call on your memory of the Scripture. Just see where it takes you! I dare you!