But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Exactly one year ago, Rebekah preached the second of her “Top Ten Bible Verses” series at WFPC, focusing on the “My power is made perfect in weakness” idea from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church. I have pasted a link (below) to the archive and I recommend listening to her perspective because it has everything to do with today’s post! (The video is set to begin at her sermon)

Now What?!!

Today’s post comes to you from the popular “”What Now?!!” desk, featuring “Good Grief!” “Murphy’s Law” and “Would-you-believe-it!” stories of accident, inconvenience, unreasonable misfortune, and the various machinations of “bad juju.”

Yesterday Rebekah (a.k.a. her mother’s Child of Grace) manage to miss a step in the sanctuary over at Wilson Presbyterian Church. She fell awkwardly and with spectacular effect. One week and one day into her new job, with just one Sunday under her belt, she now has a fractured right ankle, a broken left foot, a badly lacerated little finger, and a jarred, bruised body to boot.

Not being able to put weight on one foot makes for a very tricky situation. When both are out of commission moving at all comes with all sorts of challenges!

The good news is that Rebekah has a beautifully positive attitude. She is deeply concerned of course, about what this may mean for her new job, but she sees everything in relationship to our understanding of providence.

The word “providence” is not to be confused with fatalism. Providence involves our acknowledgment of the Creator’s sovereignty along with our responsibility to be actively engaged in relationship with God. In one book (I think it was Get Real), I defined providence in these terms: “Providence is that powerful place where God’s will for our lives intersects with our obedience.”

Another helpful way to look at this kind of situation is one of Rebekah’s favorite aphorisms: “It’s not what happens to you… it’s how you respond.”

So – as we wait for the orthopedic specialists to call back – we would absolutely value your prayers. It is hard to make sense of such interruptions to life and especially ministry.

But we can respond with grace – and this is absolutely what we are called to do. – DEREK