February 23 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me" (2 Cor. 12:8).

Devotional

When Paul prayed for God to remove the thorn in the flesh, what he asked for betrayed a lack of judgment in his estimate of the thing. Who would have suspected this in the apostle to the Gentiles? But the Lord knew best what was for the good of his dear servant. He saw that, on account of the distinctive revelations that were given him in his visit to glory, the discipline of the covenant was needed to keep him low in the dust. And when his child pleaded three times for the removal of the thorn in the flesh, he was overlooking, in the pain of the discipline, its needed influence to keep him "walking humbly with God."

We see that even an inspired apostle may ask those things which God may see fit to refuse. We may frequently expect some trial, something to keep us low before God, after a season of special nearness to him, as a manifestation of his loving kindness to our souls. There is a proneness to rest in self-complacency after close communion with God, so that the gentle hand of our Father is needed to guard us from ourselves. It was so with Paul—why should it not be with us?

When he withholds, however, what we ask of him, we may be assured of this, that he will grant us a perfect counterpart. The Lord saw fit to deny the request of the apostle; but he granted him a counterpart —yes, more than equal, to that which he denied him—he gave him his all-supporting grace. "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Cor. 12:9).

Beloved reader, have you long asked God to remove some secret, heavy, painful cross? Maybe you are still urging your request and yet the Lord seems not to answer you. And why? Because the request may not in itself be wise. Were he now to remove that cross, he may in doing so, close up a channel of mercy which you would never cease to regret. Oh, what secret and immense blessing may that painful cross be the means of conveying into your soul!

My Jesus, as thou wilt!
O may thy will be mine;
into thy hand of love
I would my all resign.
Through sorrow, or through joy,
conduct me as thine own;
and help me still to say,
"My Lord, thy will be done."

My Jesus, as thou wilt!
If needy here and poor,
give me thy people's bread,
their portion rich and sure.
The manna of thy Word
let my soul feed upon;
and if all else should fail,
"My Lord, thy will be done."

My Jesus, as thou wilt!
Though seen through many a tear,
let not my star of hope
grow dim or disappear.
Since thou on earth hast wept,
and sorrowed oft alone,
if I must weep with thee,
"My Lord, thy will be done."

My Jesus, as thou wilt!
All shall be well for me;
each changing future scene
I gladly trust with thee.
Straight to my home above
I travel calmly on,
and sing, in life or death,
"My Lord, thy will be done."

Benjamin Schmolck, c. 1704
(tr. by Jane Borthwick, 1854)

Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.

Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2025.